If you’re headed to AUVSI’s Xponential in Chicago today, get ready for a huge show of all things unmanned.  Xponential is one of the biggest shows in the industry, with so much to see and hear that attendees are spoiled for choice.  Here are some of the booths and sessions that we think shouldn’t be missed.

Keynotes and Sessions

There is so much to choose from that you might want to use the show planner found on the Xponential website (it’s under the “Attend” tab.). If you haven’t had a chance to look yet, here are just a few of our favorites.

1. The Keynotes.  You won’t want to miss these.  This year’s lineup includes thought leaders from the industry including Michael Chasen 0f PrecisionHawk (who is both insightful and humorous, a great combination in a speaker), journalist and author Dan Lyons (who wrote Lab Rats: How Silicon Valley Made Work Miserable for the Rest of Us) former FAA Administrator Michael Huerta (always a great speaker and a familiar face on the Xponential stage), and AUVSI President and CEO Brian Wynne.
2. Some Great General – and Specific – Sessions.   There’s a lot going on in the industry right now.  With flight over people, BVLOS flight and drone delivery a reality today, Xponential is a great place to get up to speed on new developments.
3. Awards and Events.  Here are just 3 of the amazing awards and networking events happening at the show.  Don’t miss these to see new innovations, meet new contacts, and celebrate our industry.
   • The Startup Showdown will be held on May 1 from 3:00-4:00.  See who won out of the innovative finalists!
   • The AUVSI Xcellence Awards: OK, we’re prejudiced – we helped judge these.  You won’t want to miss seeing which companies captured the prize in each category.  Don’t skip the Humanitarian Awards, sponsored this year by DJI and presented on Thursday at 9:00.
   • Join the Discussion: The Power of Diversity, all about women in robotics, takes place Tuesday at 3:00 pm.
4. Exhibitors.  The exhibition floor is a big part of the show, and you’ll want to visit as many booths and demos as you can while you’re there.  Check out your vendors to make a personal connection, and see all of the new products and updates coming out this week.  We want to mention some of our partners you won’t want to miss:
   • Thermal imaging giant FLIR will have a big presence this year at booth 3624.  With new partnerships, new products and new training materials, visit FLIR to learn about a wider range of thermal applications than ever before.
   • Drone mapping platform DroneDeploy will be exhibiting at booth 3731.  They’ll not only be there to show off the features of their leading platform, but they’ll be sharing the booth with some of their leading integrated partners from the industry-leading DroneDeploy App Market.  Be sure to check out the workflow and data management platform Optelos while you’re there.
   • InsureTech DroneInsurance.com will be exhibiting at booth 3606 – they’ll be able to answer your questions about the best, easiest and most economical drone insurance for your business.
   • High end mapping and modeling software provider SimActive will be at booth 2902.  Ask them how Correlator 3D could help you process faster.
   • Air-Supply will display Gremsy Gimbals including S1, T3 & Pixy F in their most typical setups at booth #3300.  The S1 in combination with Flir Duo Pro will also be shown at the Flir Systems’ booth #3624.

We’re looking forward to seeing some of our readers at Xponential – but if you can’t make it, keep reading.  We’ll be reporting on all of the new developments we learn about!