NASA has announced that Gur Kimchi, vice president and co-founder of Amazon Prime Air, will take the stage as a keynote speaker at an event discussing Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) Traffic Management (UTM), on July 28, 2015, at NASA’s Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, California.

The three-day 2015 UTM Convention: A New Era of Aviation, July 28-30, is sponsored by NASA and the Silicon Valley chapter of the Association of Unmanned Vehicle Systems International. UTM refers to a cloud-based information system concept NASA is developing to enable safe UAS flights at low altitudes.

In his address, Kimchi will reveal new information about Amazon’s concept of operations for its future drone delivery service, Prime Air. He will speak about Amazon’s approach to safe commercial small drone operations, including equipage and airspace design, and discuss what is needed to move the industry forward.   

The convention is a multidisciplinary event bringing together individuals across a broad spectrum of society interested in unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) technology with a goal of fostering collaborative innovation that will lead to the development of a safe and effective low-altitude UAS traffic management system.

Targeted attendees include those exploring UAS for commercial and public service opportunities; UAS technology suppliers and developers; UAS operators; commercial, corporate, and private aircraft operators; local, state, federal, and international government entities; insurance companies and authorities; venture capitalists and entrepreneurs; researchers from government and academia; and interested members of the general public.

The convention includes more than seven panel discussions on today’s hottest topics surrounding integration of unmanned aircraft systems into low-altitude airspace. Topics include privacy and safety; venture capital; technology innovations; business opportunities; international implications; state and local government concerns; industry applications; and low-altitude UAS traffic management. Keynote speakers will also include executives from the Federal Aviation Administration and NASA, discussing integration of UAS into the national airspace.

To register as an attendee or as media, or to request exhibit space, visit: http://www.svc-auvsi.org/attendee-information/

For information about NASA’s aeronautics programs, visit: http://aeronautics.nasa.gov