2024 Schedule 

Please note this schedule is subject to change. Check back for program updates.

*Click on Date to open Schedule

Time Name Speakers
4:00 PM - 6:00 PMAEAC Leadership & Board of Directors Meeting 
4:00 PM - 7:00 PMRegistration 
7:00 PM - 9:00 PMVIP Networking Reception 
Time Name Speakers
7:30 AM - 8:30 AMBreakfast 
7:30 AM - 5:00 PMRegistration  
8:30 AM - 8:45 AMConference WelcomeMichael Cohen
8:45 AM - 9:00 AMIndigenous Welcome 
9:00 AM - 9:20 AMLand Acknowledgement & Opening RemarksErika Carrasco
9:20 AM - 10:00 AMKeynote | It's a Small World After All: Launching Big in a Global EconomyDawn Zoldi
10:00 AM - 11:00 AMPlenary 1 | DFR - "Crawl Walk Fly: Building a Public Safety Program"Phil Cook Barry Brennan Lieutenant John English Sgt. Manuel Salazar Lt. Todd Withers
11:00 AM - 11:30 AMNetworking Break  
11:30 AM - 12:00 PMPlenary 2 | Public Safety: Devising Search and Rescue SolutionsGraham Anderson Samantha Grant Bev Williams
12:00 PM - 1:00 PMNetworking Lunch 
12:00 PM - 1:00 PMWoman In Drones Lunch 
1:00 PM - 2:00 PMPlenary 3 | Driving Innovation in the Energy & Utilities Sector: Drone Programs for Industrial OperationsGenevieve Dacambra Felipe Contréras Lara Darren Burgardt Tedman Jess
2:00 PM - 3:00 PMPlenary 4 | Education Initiatives in RPASLynda Holden Allister Schreiber Stephanie Hogewoning Sarah Graham Wade Hawkins
3:00 PM - 3:30 PMNetworking Break 
3:30 PM - 4:00 PMCONCURRENT Breakout Session 1 | Transportation and ConstructionErika Carrasco Ghadeer Nassif Grant Barkman
3:30 PM - 4:00 PMCONCURRENT Breakout Session 2 | Advancements in Environmental ApplicationsDan Juhln Mike Morellato Dominique Chabot
4:00 PM - 5:00 PMAEAC 2024 Awards CeremonyAnne-Sophie Riopel-Bouvier Roger Haessel Sina Sajjadi Armin Mahmoodi
5:00 PM - 6:30 PMWelcome Reception 
Time Name Speakers
7:30 AM - 8:30 AMBreakfast 
7:30 AM - 5:00 PMRegistration 
8:30 AM - 8:45 AMMorning Kickoff Erika Carrasco
8:45 AM - 9:15 AMKeynote | Fireside Chat with DJIMichael Cohen Adam Welsh
9:15 AM - 10:45 AMPlenary 5 | Enabling Innovation: Transport Canada Update Ryan Coates Jeannie Stewart-Smith Josué Morissette Carlos Ruella Paul Bolt Jason Rule Justin Jedlinski
10:45 AM - 11:15 AMNetworking Break  
11:15 AM - 12:15 PMPlenary 6 | Counter UAS: Applications Across IndustriesErika Carrasco Christian Labbe Justin Jedlinski Iraj Mantegh Michael Jackson
12:15 PM - 1:15 PMNetworking Lunch 
1:15 PM - 2:00 PMPlenary 7 | NAV CANADA and RPAS - Enhancing Safety in OperationsAnne-Sophie Riopel-Bouvier Brian Fentiman Joanne Moon Alan Chapman Jimmy Falldien Stewart Paveling
2:00 PM - 3:00 PMPlenary 8 | Drones and Airports: The 'Flight' Path ForwardDean Ervin Julia Stuyt Kathleen Henderson
3:00 PM - 3:30 PMNetworking Break  
3:30 PM - 4:30 PMCONCURRENT Breakout Session 1 | The path toward a RTM Enabled BVLOS IndustryJordan Cicoria Lindsay Mohr Stefan Kischkel Rob Knochenhauer Josué Morissette Jeremy Laliberte Steve Bellingham
3:30 PM - 4:30 PMCONCURRENT Breakout Session 2 | Industry Consensus Standards - Why you should be engaged!Mark Aruja Steve Priestley Craig Bloch-Hansen Josh Ogden Courtland Penk Shannon Phillips
3:30 PM - 4:30 PMCONCURRENT Breakout Session 3 | Advancement of Precision Agriculture in Canada Declan Sweeney Darryl Larson Felix Weber CLAIRE COENEN Michael Cunningham
4:30 PM - 5:15 PMPlenary 9 | Empowering Women in Drones: A Fireside ChatTamara Kerelchuk Kathryn McCulloch
5:15 PM - 7:00 PMNetworking Reception  

Keynote Speakers 

Dawn M.K. Zoldi  |  Colonel, USAF, Retired

Dawn Zoldi
Speaker Bio
Dawn M.K. Zoldi (Colonel, USAF, Retired) is a licensed attorney with 28 years of combined active duty military and federal civil service to the U.S. Air Force and a Part 107 certified drone pilot. She is the CEO & Founder of P3 Tech Consulting and an internationally recognized expert on uncrewed aircraft system law and policy, featured in CNN, Forbes and Newsweek and on the Public Broadcasting Service television network (show host in Emmy-nominated series). Her Dawn of Autonomy podcast (formerly the Dawn of Drones) was recognized as one of the “Top 7 Drone Podcasts 2024 (The Drone Girl) and the “Best Drone Podcast of the Year 2023” (The Droning Company).

Adam Welsh  Head of Global Policy and Government Relations, DJI

Adam Welsh
Speaker Bio
Adam Welsh is Head of Global Policy and Government Relations for DJI. Adam is responsible for DJI's global strategy relating to public policy and advocating for reasonable and balanced regulatory outcomes for drone operators around the globe at all levels of government.

Robin Riedel  |  Partner, McKinsey & Company

Robin Riedel
Speaker Bio
Robin is a Partner in McKinsey & Company’s San Francisco office. He co-leads the McKinsey Center for Future Mobility and its work in mobility disruptors in the Americas and is a global leader of the Disruptive Aerospace sector within McKinsey’s Aerospace & Defense Practice. His work focuses on innovative topics in the aviation industry, including advanced air mobility, unmanned aerial systems, sustainable aviation, and super or hypersonic flight. Through his client work he serves the whole ecosystem, from OEMs to investors to suppliers to operators to government agencies, across geographies and both established players and startups.

Teara Fraser   |  Canadian Aviator, Founder and CEO of Iskwew Air

Teara Fraser
Speaker Bio
Becoming a pilot was transformational, truly giving this Métis woman wings. Teara is the Founder of Iskwew Air, the bridge between traditional air service and the sustainable technology of the future. She has recently launched a clean aero tech company – Elibird Aero. She believes that together in this innovative space we will reimagine, rematriate, and rebuild our air transportation system - centering equity and sustainability. Teara holds a Master of Arts in Leadership degree from Royal Roads University, and she serves as a Board Director for Aerial Evolution.