Event Summary
**This event will be held in person only.
The sky above us is changing. Once limited to lightweight consumer drones for photography and military drones with surveillance and attack capabilities, drones are now at the center of a technological revolution that promises to reshape logistics, construction, and urban mobility.
In this session, we will explore:
The Drone Landscape Today: An overview of the current "Golden Age" of drones, from high-speed FPV racing and cinematic capture to the sophisticated drones used for agricultural monitoring and critical infrastructure inspection.
The Core Technologies: How innovations in Distributed Electric Propulsion (DEP), high-energy-density power systems, and AI-driven autonomous flight controllers are making flight safer, quieter, and more accessible than ever before.
The Heavy-Lift Revolution: A look at how the next generation of industrial drones will perform physical labor—lifting thousands of pounds to repair power grids or deliver heavy cargo to remote areas.
The Future of Human Flight: A discussion on the "de-verticalization" of the sky and the arrival of eVTOL (electric vertical takeoff and landing) aircraft that aim to turn every Austin commuter into a pilot.
Whether you are an aerospace enthusiast, a tech professional looking to contribute, a division maker wondering about the uses of drones for your company or organization, or simply curious about the future of our city's skyline, join us to learn how these visionaries are building the aerial infrastructure of tomorrow.
Speakers
Ethan Blagg, Founder, Dynamo
Ethan Blagg is a leading innovator in heavy-lift autonomous aerial systems. As the founder of Dynamo, he is pioneering the development of the AS-10A, a turbine-electric quadcopter designed to carry payloads of up to 10,000 pounds. Operating out of the Proto-Town innovation hub in Texas, Ethan is focused on solving the "heavy-lift bottleneck" for industrial infrastructure, targeting the multibillion-dollar aerial crane market. His work bridges the gap between traditional aerospace engineering and the future of autonomous, on-demand industrial logistics.
Matt Chasen, Founder & CEO, LIFT Aircraft
Matt Chasen is a serial entrepreneur, investor, and pilot dedicated to disrupting the transportation industry. He is the founder and CEO of LIFT Aircraft, the Austin-based company behind HEXA, an all-electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft designed to democratize personal flight. Before LIFT, Matt founded uShip, the world’s largest online shipping marketplace, which he led to nearly $1 billion in gross sales. A former Boeing engineer and NASA scholar, Matt holds an MBA and a BS in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Texas at Austin.
Attendance Instructions
In-person
ACC Rio Grande: Building 3000
The Center for Government & Civic Service
1218 West Avenue Austin, TX, 78701
Parking map here! Street parking is free after 6 pm.
In-person attendees, please join us from 5:15 to 6:15 for networking and food. We look forward to chatting with you face-to-face!