This year’s Harmonized Skies 2024 proved to be a landmark gathering, bringing together over 200 participants from every corner of the globe to explore and shape the future of commercial drone operations.
Held from November 13 to 15 at the FAA’s Regional Centre in Fort Worth, Texas, the event saw the attendance of the sector’s entire value chain, including more than 20 Civil Aviation Authorities (CAAs) and delegations from North and South America, Europe, Africa, Asia, and Oceania. This underscores the global scope of our industry and the shared goals of this vibrant ecosystem.
Against the backdrop of the innovative Dallas-Fort Worth (DFW) airspace, attendees witnessed firsthand how active BVLOS operations are creating a model for other regions to follow. The three-day conference kicked off with an unedited visit to the North Texas Key Site, offering the audience the possibility to watch scalable BVLOS flights at work. Over the following two days, a series of panels covered the most pressing topics shaping the sector, including global regulatory standards, economic sustainability, the impact of data exchange and governance, and fostering an innovative and diverse UTM ecosystem.
Noteworthy panels explored essential frameworks for regulatory harmonization and approval of UTM services across countries, while sessions on cost structure and business models highlighted ways to scale drone services sustainably. Additionally, industry-led discussions, including insights on network operator roles in digital airspace infrastructure, explored how key stakeholders like Mobile Network Operators (MNOs) can strengthen the global ecosystem and drive accessible, secure UTM services worldwide.
The success of Harmonized Skies 2024 is owed to the collaboration and support of all partners. We are deeply grateful to the Federal Aviation Administration for hosting us in Fort Worth and to our Event Partners: Wing, TruWeather Solutions, ANRA Technologies, Dimetor’s AirborneRF, DroneUp, INVOLI, Ericsson, Intent Exchange, OpenSkies Aerial Technology’s OpenUTM, and Zipline. Their contributions made this gathering an exceptional platform for collaboration, one that will accelerate industry progress and strengthen the pathway toward global-scale UTM solutions.
Harmonized Skies 2024 demonstrated the power of shared knowledge and cooperation in making commercial drone operations safe, scalable, and sustainable. With renewed energy and commitment, we look forward to continuing our work with this dynamic, forward-thinking community.
Together, we’re building a future where drone technology can reach its full potential for people and industries worldwide.