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 and final keynote for the 2026 event, an FAA and EASA BVLOS keynote titled “Two Skies, One Conversation: Comparing FAA and EASA Approaches to BVLOS Drone Operations.” The moderated panel will run 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 leaders from the Federal Aviation Administration and the European Union Aviation Safety Agency together to compare progress on scaling routine beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS) flight. Panelists will discuss operational waivers and exemptions, review where risk-based frameworks such as the Specific Operations Risk Assessment (SORA) and emerging U.S. approval pathways align, and identify where meaningful differences remain, organizers said.
Attendees will leave with a clearer picture of where global regulatory frameworks are heading, what operators should watch for in the next phase of rulemaking and how the FAA and EASA are learning from each other’s successes and setbacks, according to the announcement. The keynote comes as the FAA works to finalize its long-delayed Part 108 BVLOS rule, which drew renewed public comment on electronic conspicuity and right-of-way earlier this year, and as EASA continues to build out its SORA-based Specific category under EU 2019/947.
Organizers on the international agenda
“The commercial drone industry is no longer a collection of regional markets. It is one global industry with shared ambitions and shared growing pains,” said Adrianne Madden, event director of Commercial UAV Expo. “Our job is to provide the place where regulators, end-users, service providers and manufacturers from around the globe can connect face to face. Featuring the FAA and EASA in our final keynote of the 2026 event is a fitting reflection of the international community Commercial UAV Expo has become.”
“It’s rare to get the FAA and EASA on the same stage at the same time, and rarer still to hear them compare notes candidly in front of an audience,” said Matt Collins, content manager of Commercial UAV News. “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, from how BVLOS is being scaled to how waivers, exemptions and risk-based frameworks like the SORA are being applied.”
Access and passes
The FAA and EASA BVLOS keynote is included with every registration type, including the Exhibit Hall Only Pass, the DRONERESPONDERS Public Safety Summit pass, the DRONERESPONDERS Program Management Course pass and the Full Conference Pass. Exhibit Hall Only Pass holders also receive access to the Opening Keynote on September 1.
Commercial UAV Expo runs September 1-3, 2026, at Caesars Forum in Las Vegas. The event is presented by Commercial UAV News and produced by Diversified’s technology portfolio, which also includes Geo Week, Geo Week News, Geo Business (UK) and Digital Construction Week (UK).
More information is available at Commercial UAV Expo.
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Ian McNabb is a journalist focusing on drone technology and lifestyle content at Dronelife. He is based between Boston and NH and, when not writing, enjoys hiking and Boston area sports.
