Commercial UAV Expo to Feature FAA and EASA BVLOS Keynote in 2026
Regulators from the U.S. and European Union will close the September event in Las Vegas with a side-by-side comparison of transatlantic BVLOS rules.
Commercial UAV Expo has announced its second keynote for the 2026 event, featuring a discussion on BVLOS (Beyond Visual Line of Sight) operations titled “Two Skies, One Conversation: Comparing FAA and EASA Approaches to BVLOS Drone Operations.” This moderated panel is scheduled for Thursday, September 3, 2026, the final day of the show at Caesars Forum in Las Vegas.
FAA and EASA on one stage
The session will bring together leaders from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) to compare their progress on scaling routine BVLOS flight operations. Panelists will discuss various topics, including:
- Operational waivers and exemptions
- Risk-based frameworks such as the Specific Operations Risk Assessment (SORA)
- Emerging U.S. approval pathways
Attendees will gain insights into the direction of global regulatory frameworks, what operators should monitor in upcoming rulemaking phases, and how the FAA and EASA are learning from each other’s experiences. This keynote comes as the FAA aims to finalize its long-delayed Part 108 BVLOS rule and as EASA continues to develop its SORA-based Specific category under EU regulation 2019/947.
Organizers on the international agenda
Adrianne Madden, event director of Commercial UAV Expo, noted, “The commercial drone industry is no longer a collection of regional markets. It is one global industry with shared ambitions and shared growing pains. Our job is to provide a platform where regulators, end-users, service providers, and manufacturers from around the globe can connect face to face.”
Matt Collins, content manager of Commercial UAV News, emphasized the significance of having both the FAA and EASA on the same stage, stating, “This is a chance to hear two of the world’s most influential aviation authorities work through the industry’s most pressing challenges in real time.”
Access and passes
The FAA and EASA BVLOS keynote is included with all registration types for the event, which runs from September 1-3, 2026, at Caesars Forum in Las Vegas. The event is organized by Commercial UAV News and produced by Diversified’s technology portfolio.