In 1849, the Austrian Navy launched a 6.5-kilometre #BVLOS drone strike using unmanned hot air balloons. It failed; not for lack of ambition, but due to a lack of data and control systems.
175 years later, those same gaps persist. "The biggest business opportunity in drone delivery is data," said Thomas Neubauer, Co-Founder and CEO of Dimetor, at Aerial Cities 2024.
In this panel from our C-level, invitation-only event, leaders from across Europe shared how #BVLOS drone operations are technically ready, but still struggling to scale due to fragmented infrastructure, lack of trusted data, and unclear business models. From AI-powered #regulatory platforms to real-time telecom-based risk assessments, the ecosystem is evolving. And yet, success will depend on shared #standards, digital transformation, and cross-sector collaboration. Key insights from the panel discussion:
➡️️ Real-time #infrastructure is now a prerequisite for safe BVLOS #drone operations
➡️ #Regulation is becoming an enabler, not a blocker, when guided by digital tools
➡️ Business models must catch up with #technology to justify scale investments
Moderated by Dr. Christoph Selig, Co-Founder and Chief Customer Officer at Unisphere GmbH, the conversation brought together Thomas Neubauer, Co-Founder and CEO of Dimetor; Andrew Carter, Co-Founder and CEO of ResilienX; Thomas Jimenez, Market Director for UAS/AAM at Kongsberg Geospatial; and Giovanni Di Antonio, FRAeS, Director of Technological Innovation at ENAC - Ente Nazionale per l'Aviazione Civile, Italy’s Civil Aviation Authority. Listen the full session recap to see how #Europe is turning digital infrastructure, regulatory innovation, and cross-industry collaboration into the foundation for BVLOS at #scale.
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DroneTalks Group is a collection of services and platforms dedicated to uplifting the drone ecosystem. That includes our main educational platform DroneTalks as well as specialised trainings for drone industry professionals, the event Aerial Cities for industry stakeholders (both private and government) and the job portal DroneTalks Jobs for professionals.
For more information on drone-related services, including marketing and PR, please contact us at info@dronetalks.ch.
Our partners at Murzilli Consulting also offer an outsourced strategic regulatory department for drone organisations as well, for more in-depth guidance.

Eszter is the CEO and founder of Manageld and a href="https://dronetalks.online/">DroneTalks.online and is a well-known drone influencer.
An expert in technical innovation in the drone sector, Eszter has contributed to the growth of several companies, leading complex implementations and mentoring and advising leaders on strategic planning and operational transformation. In 2020 Eszter successfully lead the Global UTM association with 40 + UTM ecosystem leaders through it's restructuring for 6 months.
From 2016 - 2019, Eszter successfully lead the GSMA Drone Interest Group, growing it from 10 mobile operator members to nearly 40 finding solutions to leverage cellular connectivity in the aviation environment. Following 10+ years of professional background, complemented by certificates in Agile coaching, Prince2 and a broad professional network, launching her own businesses seemed inevitable.
Eszter holds a BA in Military & Safety Engineering from the Hungarian National University of Public Services and is currently attending Boston University’s digital leadership studies. She was born in Hungary and, having travelled extensively, now resides in Bern, Switzerland. Eszter is an expert writer in multiple drone focused online magazines such as Commercial UAV news.
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