Welcome from the AUVSI President and CEO
Welcome to AUVSI's Unmanned Systems North America 2012!
We are turning Las Vegas into a robotics showcase with our largest show ever: more exhibitors, more attendees, more networking and an exciting lineup of speakers that will address some of the hottest issues of the day.
We kick off with Brig Gen William Burks, the adjutant general for the state of Nevada, Michael Huerta, the acting administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration and Leslie Cary, the secretary of the International Civil Aviation Organization's Unmanned Aircraft Systems Study Group. They'll address some of the most pressing issues of the day, from flying unmanned aircraft in civil airspace to putting driverless cars on the road.
Speakers later in the week will address topics across all the domains, from air to maritime, and we'll even have a little Hollywood glamour: Lt Cdr Rorke T Denver, star of the hit movie "Act of Valor," will speak to us on Wednesday.
It's hard to believe, but AUVSI has been around for four decades now, years that have seen phenomenal growth in the use of unmanned systems and robotics. But many challenges remain before us, including social and regulatory hurdles that must be overcome for the industry to continue to grow. We'll be addressing those challenges, and many more, in the course of this year's event.
AUVSI's Unmanned Systems North America 2012 is not only a great place to catch up on the latest technology, it's a great place to network. We hope you'll join us Wednesday evening for our premier networking event "The Mix: The Tao of AUVSI", where you can interact with colleagues from the unmanned systems and robotics world and have a little fun at the same time. Additionally, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday afternoons, we'll be hosting networking receptions on the show floor.
Be sure not to miss one unique feature of our show: our three demonstration areas, highlighting air, ground and maritime vehicles in action. If you get lost walking around the Mandalay Bay, just look for the directional signs - we enlisted the help of a certain famous person to help everyone get around.
If you're serving our country in uniform, we say thank you, and military, police, firefighters and first responders who attend in uniform will get complimentary access to the exhibit hall and the general sessions throughout the event.
Enjoy the show, and viva Las Vegas!
Source: Flight Daily News