The second day of the Ukrainian Pavilion at Commercial UAV Expo 2024 was filled with events and expert discussions. The central focus was on the application of unmanned technologies in agriculture. On the morning of September 4, an interactive roundtable discussion titled “From Detection to Action: Drones and Agriculture in the United States” took place. Moderated by Valeriі Іakovenko, co-founder and managing partner of DroneUA, and Ashley Hanson, head of unmanned aircraft systems at John Deere, the discussion featured 60 participants who shared their insights on the evolving use of drones in agriculture. They discussed regulatory policies, business strategies, and the importance and impact of unmanned solutions in the agricultural sector. Together, the experts examined the current state of the market and its future trajectory step by step.
The roundtable discussion covered several key topics:
- How and why the US agrodrones market is becoming a key global player.
- Resource management: strategies for attracting new talent.
- The role of education in industry development and cooperation with universities.
- The impact of drones on agrochemical companies in agriculture.
- The physical and economic benefits of drones for farmers.
- The future of agriculture and what to expect from drones.
The roundtable served as a high-quality platform for sharing experiences, finding common ground, and developing a shared vision for the future of the industry.
In the afternoon, a media pitch session took place, where 15 exhibitors from various countries at Commercial UAV Expo 2024 had the opportunity to present their technological developments to a group of editors and reporters seeking the most unique and innovative solutions to showcase. Among the finalists selected to present their projects were two representatives from the Ukrainian pavilion: BavovnaAI and FreeUA. According to the results from the expert jury, the Ukrainian company BavovnaAI won the selection. In just two minutes, the company effectively presented its development and gained significant recognition on the international stage.
The final event for the Ukrainian pavilion at the expo will be a panel discussion titled “Fleet of Millions: Ukrainian Secrets of Mass Production of Drones,” scheduled for September 5 from 11:00 to 11:45 (UTS) in the Exhibition Hall Theater. The event will be opened with a video message from Mykhailo Fedorov, Vice Prime Minister of Ukraine. Participants in the discussion will include business leaders, representatives from ecosystem companies, government officials, including the Ministry of Internal Affairs, and Dmytro Kushneruk, Consul General of Ukraine in San Francisco. This broad representation of stakeholders will help to develop a comprehensive vision for the future of the drone technology ecosystem in Ukraine and explore opportunities for applying this expertise in other countries
The Ukrainian Pavilion is an initiative led by Ukrainian entrepreneurs and supported by both government and commercial entities. It aims to introduce Ukrainian innovations, demonstrate Ukraine's leadership in UAV robotics, and share practical experiences in the process of restoring and rebuilding Ukraine.
