Why Attend
The drone industry is booming with a forecasted 218% increase in sales between 2016 and 2020. With the increased number of drones, comes the increased potential for their misuse, pilot reports of drone encounters have increased 1,220% since 2013 in the U.S.
The two-day shutdown at Gatwick Airport on the 19th December 2018 cost airlines $64 million. Since the initial shutdown, there have been several well-publicized similar events in Dubai, Milan, Frankfurt, and Newark showing the drone attacks in December were not a one-off occurrence.
The drone threat has prompted Gatwick to invest in technology worth $6.5 million in the 2 weeks the attack. MPs have since stated that the government is legislating for the purchase of drone detection technologies. International aviation organizations have not yet widely adopted counter-drone technology, leaving airports vulnerable to drone threats and incursions.
These events have raised the profile of the disruptive powers of drones, and airport management teams and governments are aware that they need to step in.
Disruption Timeline
WHO WILL BE THERE
Join leading airports and drone technology subject matter experts at the Drone Disruption Summit to:
- Explore real-life case studies of drone incidents and understand the next steps when procuring counter drone technology.
- Understand drone management policy and how to mitigate risk operationally.
- Ways to make efficiencies and cost savings using drone technology within airports.
Drone integration is an inevitable step in the progression of aviation and this event will promote the safe and considered approach to implementation.
Network with industry experts from:
- Airports & Airlines
- Drone Detection Technology Providers
- Counter Drone Technology Providers
- Infrastructure
- Regulators
- Air Traffic Control
- Air Traffic Service Providers
The Agenda
We are pleased to welcome you to the inaugural Drone Disruption Summit, join us to explore the next steps in operational strategy for countering and integrating drones.
Download Agenda
The Speakers

Damien Trower

Charles Telitsine

Damon Knight
Damon has over 25 years’ experience in Aviation. After a 7 year career in the Royal Air Force, Damon joined NATS and spent 10 years as an operational air traffic controller at Stansted Airport. In 2010, he started his full time management career as Manager ATC at Jersey Airport. On return to NATS in 2012, he took up the role of Manager Airport Operations and took on a number of projects including runway safety, RPAS, regulation developments, airspace change, military contracts and European co-ordination. After a period working with Belgocontrol on contract, Damon left NATS in 2017 to join Stobart Aviation as Head of Air Traffic Services. As part of the airport operational management team he continues to be involved in a wide range of projects at one of the fastest growing airport operations.
Damon is also the co-chairman of the Airport Operators Association (AOA) Air Traffic Services Working Group and the Eurocontrol Airport Operations Team (AOT).
His involvement with the drone sector has been long running, and has included:
• Supporting the development of an understanding of the drone sector for Air Traffic Controllers.
• Involvement with industry working groups on regulation.
• Trials of drone surveillance systems at London Southend Airport.

Michael Rudolph
Michael Rudolph was born on 06th March 1961 in Port Elizabeth, South Africa. He joined the Air force in 1980 and was recruited as a Flight Controller. Michael was then specialized in Air Traffic Control and remained in the Air Force as an Air Traffic Controller until 1999, when he was recruited to join Air Traffic Navigational Services, ATNS to continue his career path as a civilian Controller. Michael specialized as an Area Controller at Johannesburg International and he left on 1997 to continue controlling in Muscat Oman. In 2008 Michael came to Dubai as an Approach Controller before being offered a new career path in Airside Operations, at DXB. Consequently, he joined the Dubai Civil Aviation Authority, DCAA in June 2009.

Alastair Muir

Tim McCarthy

Joji Waites
Joji Waites has been involved in aviation flight safety for 23 years, 20 of which were spent at the UK Civil Aviation Authority in the areas of safety analysis, research, project management, safety planning and leadership roles culminating in becoming Head of Safety Intelligence. On leaving the CAA in 2016, Joji undertook a number of safety consultancy roles including assisting drone operators in producing operational safety cases. Joji also gave a key note speech on drone safety regulation at the Farnborough International Airshow in 2018. He now works at the British Airline Pilots’ Association (BALPA) as a Flight Safety Specialist. In his spare time Joji is a keen GA pilot with interests in travel, health and fitness and motorsport.

Andy Sage

Brendan Booth

Douglas Moule

Adam Lisberg

Paul Diestelkamp

Richard Ellis

Toby Potter
Toby Potter leads the sales and partnerships team at Altitude Angel.
With a technical background designing and building analytical solutions for global retail, telecommunications and financial services organisations, Toby founded a marketing analytics business which was subsequently acquired by a US software company.
After taking leadership positions with Informative and Kognitio in the ‘Big Data analytics’ space, Toby led the EMEA organisation at DataSift, a software company specialising in the analysis of the world’s Social Data. From there he took his first steps into the world of drones by leading the EMEA organisation at PrecisionHawk, Inc. before joining Altitude Angel in September 2018.

Charles King
Charles “Chas” King has served as the Transportation Security Administration’s Counter-terrorism Coordinator since October, 2018. He is responsible for synchronizing the agency’s response to both emerging threats and on-going incidents. In addition, he coordinates programs with interagency partners.
Prior to this assignment, Mr. King was TSA’s liaison to headquarters, Department of Homeland Security. In this role, he ensured that the agency’s major programs and initiatives had broad support with departmental senior staff.
Since 2003, Mr. King has held policy positions in TSA, working for both the Office of the Administrator and in various iterations of what is now Plans, Programs, and Engagement. Prior to joining TSA, Mr. King worked for Eli Lilly and Company and, before that, as an officer in the United States Army.
Mr. King graduated from the United States Military Academy with a Bachelor of Science. He has also earned a Master of Business Administration from Duke University and a Master of Science from the National War College.
Gold Partner
AirMap
Website: https://www.airmap.com/
Industry developers, drone operators, and airspace managers rely on AirMap’s airspace intelligence and services to fly safely and communicate in low-altitude airspace. AirMap unlocks safe, efficient, and scalable operations by connecting the world’s drones to airspace authorities through an open platform of APIs and SDKs, with integrations by top drone manufacturers and solution providers including 3DR, DJI, DroneDeploy, Matternet, and senseFly.
Deployed in the Czech Republic, Japan, Switzerland, the United States, and available in over 25 countries, AirMap leads the industry in delivering technology solutions for UAS Traffic Management (UTM) and U-space to enable safe and responsible drone operations at scale. AirMap supports several drone enablement and research projects globally, including NASA UTM, the European Network of U-space Demonstrators and the U.S. UAS Integration Pilot Programs.
Air Navigation Solutions
Website: http://www.airnavigationsolutions.co.uk
As part of the DFS Group, Air Navigation Solutions Ltd. is a well established Air Navigation Services Provider (ANSP) combining the reputation, capability and security of a global ANSP with the flexibility, agility and value of a fresh, dynamic business. The company has gained certification and designation required to operate as an ANSP in the UK market and provide ATM services. To date ANS have been awarded 10-year contracts for the provision of Air Traffic Control and Engineering Services at Gatwick and Edinburgh Airport and is working with customers and partners to deliver leading edge ATM solutions.
As the incumbent ANSP, ANSL has seen first-hand the disruption UAVs can have on an airport during the recent drone event in Gatwick. ANSL was directly involved in the successful integration of procedures and mitigation tools that facilitated the reopening of Gatwick’s runway and has since been driving effective and efficient integration of Drones in the ATM System.
D-Fend Solutions
Website: https://www.d-fendsolutions.com/
Founded in 2017, D-Fend Solutions is the leading provider of advanced autonomous c-UAS solutions for urban environments in the most challenging scenarios.
The system automatically and passively detects, locates and identifies rogue drones as well as mitigates risk by taking control over them and landing them safely at a pre-defined safe zone.
D-Fend’s Solutions was selected by the U.S. Defense Innovation Unit (DIU), during Black Dart in August 2019, and has recently secured a $28M funding led by Claridge Israel with participation by current shareholder, Vertex Israel.
For further information, visit www.d-fendsolutions.com
Altitude Angel
Website: http://www.altitudeangel.com
Altitude Angel is an aviation technology company delivering solutions which enable the safer integration and use of fully automated drones into airspace. Widely regarded as market leaders in the emerging field of Unmanned Traffic Management (UTM), Altitude Angel delivers a global developer platform with tools and data aimed at making it easy for drone manufacturers and software developers to take their ideas to new heights, with localized data and APIs for over 40 countries.
Through its Airspace Management platform, GuardianUTM O/S, they deliver the essential software platform which enable national deployments of USpace compatible services, safely unlocking the potential of drones and helping national aviation authorities and air navigation service providers to establish new services to support the growth in the drone industry.
Become a Sponsor
Kisaco Research provides the much-needed platform on which industry executives can network, connect and learn from each other as well as meet potential industry partners.
Far from the typical ‘meet-and-greet’ exhibition experience, you – as a sponsor or exhibitor – will be positioned as a partner of the event with a focus on the benefits of your product and brand, rather than just a name on an exhibition list.
With our extensive marketing experience and strategy, your partnership with Kisaco Research will grant you a sponsorship package that is an extension and enhancement of your current marketing and branding efforts. We value your ROI and will work with you directly on your specific goals and targets – that’s why we take special care in finding the most relevant end-users to attend, so that your financial and resource investment is smartly allocated.
Find out more by calling us at +44 (0)20 3696 2920 or email us at [email protected].
Venue
Radisson Blu Edwardian Heathrow, 140 Bath Road, Hayes, Middlesex, UB3 5AW
The inaugural Drone Disruption Summit will be taking place at an airport in The Radisson Blu Edwardian Heathrow.
Rates: £139 inc VAT and breakfast, single occupancy
Book online at https://www.radissonblu-edwardian.com/
Select Heathrow, Heathrow Airport on the drop down menu and click on Select Rate Type and then Promotional Code and enter discount code 1015KI
Book by 1st October 2019 – after this date rates will be subject to availability
Conference Packages
Sending Your Team? Group Discounts Available!
Applicable for Primary Market, Service Provider and Industry Rates Only. Not available for Academic or ‘Start-Up’ rates
Book a Team of 3+ - Save an Additional 10% Off
Book a Team of 5+ - Save an Additional 15% Off
If you would like to register a team of 3 or more, please email [email protected] for your discount coupon code before registering. PLEASE NOTE: Discounts cannot be combined with Early Bird Pricing or any other discount or offer. If you have any questions about your registration, please call us on +44 (0)20 3696 2920
About Kisaco Research
Kisaco Research produces, designs and hosts B2B industry conferences, exhibitions and communities – focused on a specialized selection of topic areas.
Meet industry peers that will help build a career-changing network for life.
Learn from the mistakes of your peers as much as their successes—ambitious industry stalwarts who are happy to share not just what has made them successful so far but also their plans for future proofing their companies.
Note down the inspired insight that will form the foundation for future strategies and roadmaps, both at our events and through our online communities.
Invest both in your company growth and your own personal development by signing up to one of our events and get started.