International Drone Show 2023 will take place on 29th of August in Odense, Denmark. Positioned as the leading drone event in the Nordic region, it promises a diverse showcase of cutting-edge drone technology, discussions and test sessions. The event brings together one of the most extensive networks of Nordic drone industry leaders.
Held at HCA Airport, the event provides a unique platform for companies and users of drone services from Denmark and beyond to learn about the latest drone innovations and explore their potential applications. The annual conference attracts hundreds of drone organisations and stakeholders from around the world, eager to see live demonstrations, gain insights from leading researchers and hear about the latest developments in key industry areas. An informal networking dinner at the end of the event allows visitors to engage in relaxed, valuable conversations with a wide range of drone specialists.
A number of industry leaders will deliver presentations on key topics, including defence, Nordic airspace, vertiports, digital air traffic control and critical infrastructure security. Lisa Rosenlyst Hansen, Business Development Manager for Unmanned Aerial Systems at Odense Robotics, gave an insight into the event. "The drone industry is rapidly evolving to meet market demands, and the International Drone Show in Denmark serves as a gateway to fresh insights into the latest developments from Denmark and Northern Europe. It's an ideal platform to connect with new partners from both the public and private sectors. This year, attendees can even pre-book business meetings, increasing the opportunities for drone companies to connect with key industry stakeholders." This year's event will focus on topics such as legislation and cooperation, security and defence, as well as use cases and new technologies.
Below, we’ve put together the top 5 reasons to attend this year’s International Drone Show 2023.
Are you aware of the current state of drone integration in Nordic airspaces? If you're considering expanding into other European markets, you may need to familiarise yourself with Nordic drone regulations, public sentiment towards drone implementation and regulatory attitudes towards granting operational approvals.
International Drone Show offers a unique opportunity for participants to learn directly from the industry leaders of the Nordic drone ecosystem. A comprehensive conference programme has been prepared, including flight demonstrations and a special B2B matchmaking segment. This segment will bring companies together to explore potential collaborations. Networking has been carefully integrated into the programme to facilitate these interactions.
This will help preview the innovative spirit present in the Nordics currently, which is illustrated by a recent press release, in which HCA Airport Chairman Kim Kenlev said,
“I foresee that in a few years’ time, you can take the light rail to Odense Station and from there take a flying taxi to Copenhagen or other Danish cities. Now is the time to start building a brand new infrastructure based initially on manned flying taxis that fly on green power and contribute to the government’s goal of achieving 100% green domestic transport by 2030. I see nothing stopping us from flying to cities like Gothenburg, Hamburg or Berlin in the future. Advanced Air Mobility is high on the agenda everywhere, and these cities are within reach of these flying taxis.”
As the Nordic countries advance their efforts to integrate new technologies into the drone industry, a variety of market opportunities are emerging. These span the hardware, software and regulatory aspects necessary to support the implementation of new U-space airspaces. Unlocking these opportunities will be a multitude of industry experts, individuals who have dedicated their careers to laying the groundwork for the growing drone industry, which is currently in a co-creation phase.
The speakers for this event are experts in the field. Among them is Major Morten Hvalsøe-Dybdahl, Head of the UAS/C-UAS Branch at the Danish Ministry of Defence's Acquisition and Logistics Organization (DALO). He will share his expert insights into the prevailing trends in market segmentation and project planning for both existing and upcoming acquisitions. Having been actively involved in the drone industry for several years, Hvalsøe-Dybdahl brings extensive experience, particularly in military and defence operations.
He will be joined by Ulrik Max Nielsen, the founder of Plan2Fly. Nielsen will discuss how his company is driving innovation by empowering drone pilots through digital mission planning. Plan2Fly offers an online platform that encompasses the entire process of using drone technology, from planning and scheduling to post-flight data processing. Designed for both veteran and novice drone users, Plan2Fly provides a seamless solution that can be integrated into any industry looking to digitize and capitalize on new technologies.
In addition, Arkadius Żurek, a research associate at the Autonomous Systems Department at the Center for Advanced Systems Understanding, a branch of the Helmholtz-Zentrum in Dresden-Rossendorf (HZDR), will explore the benefits of indoor autonomous UAS systems for logistics and Industry 4.0 applications.
The upcoming event will feature a panel discussion with representatives from various Nordic Civil Aviation Authorities (CAAs). The discussion will focus on the future of drone regulations and the upcoming implementation of U-space in the Nordic region. The event will include an introductory presentation on the implementation of U-space in Europe by EASA's Drones Programme Manager, Maria Algar Ruiz, and an additional panel discussion with participating CAAs from Denmark, Iceland, Norway and Finland, with more expected to join. The debate aims to provide a comprehensive insight into the challenges and opportunities of integrating drones into the airspace of these countries.
The panel moderator will be the CEO of UAS Norway, Anders Martinsen, who will shed light on the current state of drone integration in Nordic airspace. Joining him on the panel will be Lars Korsholm, Head of Division at the Danish Civil Aviation Authority; Pasi Nikama, Director of Marketing and Customer Relations at Fintraffic; and Even Birkeland, Flight Operations Inspector at the Civil Aviation Authority of Norway. These distinguished panellists will share their insights and experiences, adding significant value to the discourse on drone integration in the region.
There will be time throughout the day to network with members of the participating CAAs and various government stakeholders. During these interactions, attendees will be able to ask pertinent questions about market entry in these locations. The session aims to foster dialogue, exchange of ideas and collaboration, all of which are critical to navigating the complexities of the drone market in the Nordic region.
“The energy and innovation on display here is at the same level as when we visit the big drone fairs in the United States. I am really happy to be here and learn about drone developments in Europe. Being a part of the show gives us the opportunity to get to know a lot of new companies and potentially collaborate with them in the future. UAS Denmark International Test Center is in an important entry point for drone companies and Odense is a very interesting place buzzing with development.”
– Kevin Colburn, CEO of Commaris
A special addition to this year’s event is a B2B matchmaking session where industry leaders will be paired together based on their business models to foster future collaborations to empower profitable use cases being implemented today. The session will be hosted by Enterprise Europe Network, which is the largest support network for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). EEN operates globally, bringing together experts from member organisations such as chambers of commerce, regional development agencies, universities, research institutes and innovation agencies.
Speakers include:
Gatehouse Satcom, a Danish software specialist, developing digital twins for satellite networks to enable the simulation of connectivity services for uncrewed aerial vehicles (UAVs). Gatehouse Satcom's digital twin and tools such as the BGAN Network Emulator and BGAN Application Tester help to validate communication performance, test procedures and predict outcomes under various scenarios in accordance with industry standards.
SkyTEM Surveys ApS, a prominent airborne geophysical survey company, will hold a panel discussion Unleashing the Power of Heavy Lift Drones: Revolutionising Underground Mapping. Led by their R&D Manager, Kristoffer Skovgaard Mohr, the session will explore how SkyTEM is using transformative technology to provide detailed subsurface earth mapping. The company is recognised for its dual-moment technology, which simultaneously maps shallow and deep geology at high resolution. Participants will gain insight into SkyTEM's innovative methods, system diversity and global operations.
Unisphere's panel discussion Enable large-scale BVLOS operations by automating pilot tasks, will be led by their CCO and co-founder, Dr Christoph Selig. Unisphere, a pioneer in drone operations management, will explore how its software platform, NOVA, improves the scalability and safety of commercial drone operations. As a digital co-pilot, NOVA uses simulation technology to automate pilot tasks, moving from decision support to decision-making in fully autonomous flights. The panel will discuss how NOVA's high-resolution weather data improves flight safety, how its standardised and automated flight planning ensures compliance, and how it increases operational efficiency by automating repetitive tasks.
MyDefense's panel on Secure Drone Infrastructure, which will be led by Christian Clemmensen Møller, Head of Business Development for Secure Drone Infrastructure. MyDefence was founded in 2013 by military officers who had insight into the current state of military operations and advanced radio technology. They're specialised in developing sensors and effectors for military customers to mitigate the threat of malicious drones. Their motto is to "protect those who protect society" and have done so using advanced technology for protection and situational awareness on the battlefield.
Skypuzzler will host a panel on Scaling the Drone Industry with Digital Air Traffic Control, which will be led by Jesper Skou, the Co-Founder and CEO. They've developed a deep-tech software solution that is capable of integrating into uncrewed traffic management (UTM) systems, providing an overall more comprehensive UTM system that allows drones to fly autonomously in airspaces without risk of collision.
The event will be held at the HCA Airport. The location has a spacious 2200 m2 hangar, which allows the centre to foster an environment of innovation for companies, researchers, partners and engineering students who regularly visit.
There are also multiple state-of-the-art laboratories and extensive test areas to design and develop robust and safe drone systems. At this location, there is also access to a 1900 km2 drone airspace over land and sea, directly from our laboratories to the airfield. This area provides a low-risk testing ground for multiple drone projects, which will be highlighted during the event.
Lars Michael Larsen, the Head of UAS Denmark Test Center, will provide a comprehensive overview of testing and how this empowers organisations to navigate and comply with current regulations in his panel, Possibilities in the international UAS Denmark Test Center. This conversation will be expanded upon in a later panel with Stine Danielsen, Special Consultant, Danish Civil Aviation and Railway Authority when she speaks about the current state of BVLOS drone operations in Denmark compared to the rest of Europe.
Finally, attendees will have the opportunity to register for live demonstrations of their drones during the event. This will allow registered companies to not only showcase their products but also explain and demonstrate the practical application of compliance and regulations.
Interested in participating in the International Drone Show 2023? Register here!
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