IoT WebTalk: Utilising Mobile Connectivity for Drones Remote Identification

IoT WebTalk: Utilising Mobile Connectivity for Drones Remote Identification

Start: Wednesday 15 July 2020 15:00

End: Wednesday 15 July 2020 16:00

Watch on Demand Speakers Agenda 

What is Remote Identification (Remote ID) and why is it needed? What are the associated regulations and how are mobile network operators delivering on these regulations to achieve remote identification for drones?

Mobile networks are global, interoperable and scalable. They provide a platform for innovative services to burgeon across many areas, such as the drone ecosystem. With the benefit of network connectivity, drones (Unmanned Aerial Vehicles – UAVs) can safely connect to and share key information with their control centres. The use of an on-board SIM provides a secure and reliable connection for transmitting a digital identification mandated by regulators; a “digital license plate” that enables the safe control and operation of drones – something increasingly called for by regulators as our skies become ever busier.

Identification via mobile connectivity has a number of advantages for the drone ecosystem:

  • Identification and registration schemes for drones can be introduced
  • Mobile connectivity can be part of Unmanned Traffic Management (UTM) solutions, helping to enable no-fly zones and to issue flight path updates
  • Privacy and data protection tools that are synonymous with Mobile networks.

Join the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) as well as Skyward, a Verizon company and Vodafone on this IoT WebTalk to:

  • Learn more about what remote identification entails and what the benefits are
  • Explore the new regulatory framework around Remote ID and how mobile connectivity can support upcoming regulations for Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS)
  • Hear from Skyward, A Verizon company and Vodafone on their key initiatives that have made a leading contribution to drones remote identification

Speakers

Natale Di Rubbo

Drone project manager, European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA)

Since 2016 Natale Di Rubbo has been the rulemakings officer for drone regulations and has coordinated the team in charge of developing the proposal for the new European drone regulation.

From early 2020 he has been the EASA project manager for all activities related to drone operations in the open and specific category.

Before joining the EASA, Natale was employed as an Air force officer at the Italian Military Airworthiness Authority, and had the role of project certification manager for several manned and unmanned military aircraft.

Natale graduated as Electronic engineering at the University Federico II of Naples and attended a Master in International Relations and Affairs at the University of Roma Tre.

Jay Merkle

Executive Director, Unmanned Aircraft Systems Integration Office, Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)

Prior to being named the new Executive Director of the Unmanned Aircraft Systems Integration Office, Peter “Jay” Merkle was the Deputy Vice President (DVP) of the Program Management Organization (PMO) within the Air Traffic Organization (ATO). The PMO is responsible for all NextGen program activity; all National Airspace System (NAS) communications; navigation, weather, surveillance and automation modernization programs; and all service life extensions to legacy NAS sensors, communications and navigation aids. Given the tight coupling between successful automation program delivery and current system operation, the PMO also leads and manages all second-level automation engineering efforts. Lastly, the PMO works with FAA operations and aviation users to ensure globally interoperable solutions for NextGen.

Prior to that position, Merkle was the Director of Program Control and Integration, AJM-1, in the PMO for the ATO. In that capacity, he led the PMO in developing effective, timely, and innovative solutions to evolving business needs. The focus areas were program control, cross-cutting analysis and integration, and special initiatives.
Since joining the FAA, Merkle has served as the Manager of Systems Integration for Portfolio Management and Technology Development within the NextGen organization. He also has held positions as the Lead Engineer for tower, terminal, and en route automation systems, as the Chief System Engineer for En Route and Terminal Domains, and as the Chief Architect for NextGen at the Joint Planning and Development Office.

Merkle has over 30 years of extensive experience in engineering and program management. He started his career as an engineer working in cockpit and crew station design on several aircraft, including the C-17 large transport aircraft. Merkle holds a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology from the University of Central Florida and a Master’s degree in Industrial Engineering and Operations Research from the Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University.

Eric T. Ringer

Chief of Staff, Robotics Business Technology, Verizon

Eric T. Ringer is co-founder and Director of Aviation Technology at Skyward, a Verizon company.

In his role as Director of Aviation Technology he leads the product and engineering teams developing 4G LTE & 5G products for aviation.

Prior to Skyward, Eric was a systems engineer at contractors for both NASA and Sikorsky.

Dr Eric Murray

Principal Engineer, Vodafone Group Technology Networks Architecture

Dr Murray is Principal Engineer within Vodafone Group Technology Networks Architecture, where he has worked since 2014. He is responsible for identifying and developing new technologies and innovations of interest to the Vodafone Group of companies, and evaluating them in proof of concept trials.

As part of a small team, Dr Murray was responsible for developing the original “Flying CrowdCell” demonstrated at MWC’17, and later for trials demonstrating the benefits of cellular connectivity for drones, including the Radio Positioning System – Vodafone’s network-based drone tracking technology.

More recently, Dr Murray was responsible for testing the Wavelength MEC (Mobile Edge Computing) offering from AWS as part of their collaboration with Vodafone. His current role is to develop standardised APIs to support novel use cases for Vodafone’s networks, such as drone authentication.

Barbara Pareglio

Senior Technical Director, Smart Mobility Lead, GSMA

Since 2014, she has been the technical lead for several areas of focus within the GSMA such as 5G, IoT, automotive, aviation and more. Looking at how to best utilise new technologies and services from the constantly evolving mobile networks, like 5G-Advanced.

Barbara is also leading several activities and communities with the GSMA members, like the activities related to smart mobility, including automotive and advanced air mobility. The latter by leading the GSMA Drone Interest Group and the Aerial Connectivity Joint Activity, to investigate and help the mobile industry to create a trusted solution for commercial unmanned aircraft. Exploring features and capabilities of 4G and 5G needed for the aviation.

Barbara has over 20 years of experience in the mobile industry. Before joining the GSMA, Barbara worked in R&D in several areas of telecommunications. She also participates and actively contributed to, several standards.

Agenda

Time Content Speaker
5 min Welcome & Introduction Barbara Pareglio, Executive Director for Aviation and Drones, GSMA Internet of Things
10 min Introduction to Remote ID: The Principles, Current Regulations and Future Plans in the USA Jay Merkle, Executive Director, UAS Integration Office, FAA
10 min Regulations in Europe and Future Plans Natale Di Rubbo, Drone Project Manager, EASA
10 min How Mobile Connectivity is Used to Achieve Remote ID in the USA and How are the plans evolving into the 5G Era Eric Ringer, Eric Ringer, Co-founder and Director of Aviation Technology, Skyward, a Verizon company
10 min How Mobile Connectivity is Used to Achieve Remote ID in Europe and How are the plans evolving into the 5G Era Dr Eric Murray, Principal Engineer, Vodafone Group Technology Networks Architecture
15 min Interactive Panel and Q&A Moderator: Barbara Pareglio, Executive Director for Aviation and Drones and Head of the Drones Interest Group, Internet of Things GSMA
 
Panellists:

  • Jay Merkle, Executive Director, UAS Integration Office, FAA
  • Natale Di Rubbo, Drone Project Manager, EASA
  • Eric Ringer, Co-founder and Director of Aviation Technology, Skyward
  • Dr Eric Murray, Principal Engineer, Vodafone Group Technology Networks Architecture