Organizers of Commercial UAV Expo, the world’s leading commercial drone trade show and conference, have announced the Opening Keynote lineup for the 2025 edition of the event. Taking place Wednesday, September 3, 2025, at Caesars Forum in Las Vegas, NV, the keynote will highlight the true cost of inaction, how ROI is being achieved, real-world challenges being overcome, and why people remain at the center of every successful drone program.

“We designed this year’s keynote to highlight the tangible ways drone technology is making a real difference in 2025 while underscoring the practical implications of its adoption,” said Jeremiah Karpowicz, Editorial Director of Commercial UAV Expo. “Keynoters will detail how and why achieving success with adoption isn’t just about the technology itself but is also dependent on a strategic mindset for generating value and driving ROI. Those specifics will define clear action items for attendees with their own enterprise drone adoption and integration.”

• What’s the Price of Standing Still? How Inaction on Drone Innovation Costs You
  Kaitlyn Albertoli of Buzz Solutions will show how a “wait-and-see” mindset can cost more than it saves. Attendees will discover how to reframe drone adoption as a necessity rather than a risk, especially in light of recent policy shifts, and how acting now can reshape careers and entire workflows.
• Unlocking ROI with UAVs: Proving the Value of Your Drone Program
  Joining Kaitlyn Albertoli will be Thomas F. Butler of Dominion Energy to walk attendees through the financial results, internal adoption strategies, and communication tactics that helped prove bottom-line value. These insights will be particularly timely as drone programs realign operations with the latest Executive Orders and national security guidance.
• Capturing High-Definition Spatial Intelligibility in the Grand Canyon
  HDR and the FAA will provide a behind-the-scenes look at the first-ever drone operation in the Grand Canyon. Attendees will find out how drone video, photogrammetry, and lidar were integrated to produce actionable insights across engineering, environmental, geotechnical, and inspection teams.
• Beyond Automation: Why Drone Pilot Expertise is Indispensable for Enterprise Program Success
  From real-time decision-making to nuanced control, the keynote finale will explore why human expertise still matters in high-stakes operations and remains essential as new federal initiatives aim to accelerate the growth of a competitive and capable drone industry.

“This keynote will showcase how drones are already delivering results across critical sectors,” said Lee Corkhill, Event Director for Commercial UAV Expo. “It’s a powerful kickoff to an event designed to equip attendees with the knowledge and motivation to scale their programs and realize similar results.”

To learn more about the Opening Keynote, visit www.expouav.com/session/opening-keynote. Event organizers recommend registering by July 18 to secure early bird rates.

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