GLOBAL DRONE® CONGRESS PROGRAM
Three Days.
Two Congress Rooms.
One Stadium Full of Possibility.
Global Drone® 2026 brings Congress, Expo and Drone Zone live demonstrations together at Cbus Super Stadium on the Gold Coast from Wednesday 11 to Friday 13 November.
The three-day Congress runs across two concurrent rooms and features six congress streams, global speakers, expert panels and daily premium Keynote Luncheons.
Throughout the event, the Expo connects visitors with global brands, while the Aviation Australia Drone Zone presents live demonstrations on the stadium field.
Friday features Future Careers Day presented by Griffith University, connecting students and educators with industries, technologies and career pathways already shaping the workforce.
Three Days of Congress, Innovation and Live Experience
Program at a Glance
WEDNESDAY11 NOVEMBER 2026
ROOM 1 - SESSION 1 | 9:30AM-10:30AM
Advanced Air Mobility Congress
Presented by Aviation Australia
FOCUS: Training the Pilots of AAM
PANEL
Ryan MacMahon
Aviation Australia
PANEL
Mahmood Hussien
Global Drones Services
PANEL
Vin Hegde
Airspeeder
ROOM 1 - SESSION 2 | 11AM-12PM
Advanced Air Mobility Congress
FOCUS: Advanced Air Mobility OEM Manufacturers and Airline Operators
MODERATOR
Greg Tyrrell
Executive Director | AAUS
PANEL
Keisuke Yasukochi
Global Intelligence Officer | Skydrive
PANEL
Takumi Mori
BDM | Eve Air Mobility
PANEL
Aaron Shaw
Alt Air
ROOM 1 - SESSION 3 | 2:30PM-3:30PM
Advanced Air Mobility Congress
FOCUS: AAM Enabling Ecosystem
PANEL
Brian McGuckin
Chief Property & Planning Officer | Queensland Airports
PANEL
Clem Newton-Brown
Founder & CEO | Aeroberm
(A Skyportz Company)
PANEL
Takumi Mori
BDM | Eve Air Mobility
PANEL
Aaron Shaw
Alt Air
ROOM 2 - SESSION 1 | 9:30AM-10:30AM
Agri-Business Congress
FOCUS: The Surat Basin Enterprise
PANEL
Dennis Voznesenski
Agricultural and Sustainability Economist | CommBank
ROOM 2 - SESSION 2 | 11AM-12PM
Agri-Business Congress
FOCUS: Drones in Agriculture: What’s Working, What’s Next?
MODERATOR
Edward Barraclough
Founder & CEO | Drone-Hand Inc
PANEL
Luke Chaplain
Founder | SkyKelpie
PANEL
Garth Short
Hunter Precision Agriculture
PANEL
Indra Sopian
BETA-UAS (Indonesia)
PANEL
Lauren Kelly
NAPCo
ROOM 2 - SESSION 3 | 2:30PM-3:30PM
Agri-Business Congress
FOCUS: The Surat Basin Enterprise
MODERATOR
Jordan Philp
Editor | Toowoomba Chronicle
PANEL
Kara Knudsen
Knudsen Cattle
PANEL
Andrew Bate
SwarmFarm Robotics
PANEL
Jarrod Jackson
Doover
ROOM 2 - SESSION 4 | 4PM-5PM
Agri-Business Congress
FOCUS: Farming the Future — Investing in Technology, Productivity and the Next Generation
PANEL
Jaimen Tunstall
Director | AAA Drones
THURSDAY12 NOVEMBER 2026
ROOM 1 - SESSION 1 | 9:30AM-10:30AM
Defence Robotics & Counter-UAS Congress
FOCUS: Defence robotics, uncrewed systems, counter-UAS, critical infrastructure protection and national security.
KEYNOTE
Brigadier Grant Chambers
Director General Joint Warfare
Q&A
Rob Sutton
Managing Director | Mirragin
ROOM 1 - SESSION 2 | 11AM-12PM
Defence Robotics & Counter-UAS Congress
FOCUS: What is required to enable a sovereign RAS capability (a founder’s view)?
MODERATOR
Rob Sutton
Managing Director | Mirragin
PANEL
Peter Milani
Founder | Ichor Autonomy
PANEL
Michael Creagh
Founder | Skyborne Technologies
PANEL
Peta Ellis
Beaten Zone Venture Partners
PANEL
Emma Crichton
AutogenAI
ROOM 1 - SESSION 3 | 2:30PM-3:30PM
Defence Robotics & Counter-UAS Congress
FOCUS: What is required to enable a sovereign RAS capability (a founder’s view)?
MODERATOR
Bianca Park
Director | Global Investment Attraction – TIQ
PANEL
Mark Girard
CEO | Invest Gold Coast
PANEL
Sean Bohannon
Global Trade and Investment at TIQ
PANEL
Carolyne Huber
Trade Commissioner Aerospace, Defence, Security, High Commission of Canada
PANEL
Vasyl Myroshnychenko
Ambassador for Ukraine to Australia & New Zealand
ROOM 1 - SESSION 4 | 4PM-5PM
Defence Robotics & Counter-UAS Congress
FOCUS: What will it take to protect Australia’s Critical Infrastructure.
MODERATOR
Rob Sutton
Managing Director | Mirragin
PANEL
Des Lacy
OAM | Head of Security for the Brisbane 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games
PANEL
Superintendent Paul Hart
Commander, Program Manager Olympic & Paralympic Games Group, Queensland Police Service
PANEL
Kacey Lam-Evans
Government Affairs and Media Director | DroneShield
ROOM 2 - SESSION 1 | 9:30AM-10:30AM
Technology, Ecology, Conservation, & Natural Disaster Response
FOCUS: Drones and conservation.
OPENING KEYNOTE
David Guerin
Co-founder | Global Conservation Tech and Drone Forum
ROOM 2 - SESSION 2 | 11AM-12PM
Technology, Ecology, Conservation
FOCUS: Real-time application of drones in conservation.
PANEL
Jamie Holyoak
General Manager | Australian UAV
PANEL
Tara Mercy
Minyumai Rangers
PANEL
Al Mucci
Adjuct Professor | University of Queensland
ROOM 2 - SESSION 3 | 2:30PM-3:30PM
Natural Disaster Response & Search & Rescue
PANEL
Andrew Davies
Founder & CEO | Taz Drone Solutions
PANEL
Kelvin Ross
KJR
FRIDAY13 NOVEMBER 2026
ROOM 1 - SESSION 1 | 10:30AM-11:45AM
Future Invest - Pitch Track 1
FOCUS: Ideas & Prototype
MC
Peta Ellis
General Manager | Beaten Zone Venture Partners
JUDGE
Steve Baxter
Founder & Lead Investor | Beaten Zone Venture Partners
JUDGE
Shawn Tansley
Director | BIA5
JUDGE
Christine Head
System Safety Engineer | Insitu Pacific
JUDGE
Wing Commander Keirin Joyce
Deputy Director Disruptive Experimentation | RAAF
JUDGE
Kristian Cruickshank
Red Fleet Senior Engineer | Chaos1
ROOM 1 - SESSION 2 | 2:30PM-4:45PM
Future Invest - Pitch Track 2
FOCUS: Scale
MC
Peta Ellis
General Manager | Beaten Zone Venture Partners
JUDGE
Steve Baxter
Founder/Lead Investor | Beaten Zone Venture Partners
JUDGE
Shawn Tansley
Director | BIA5
JUDGE
Christine Head
System Safety Engineer | Insitu Pacific
JUDGE
Wing Commander Keirin Joyce
Deputy Director Disruptive Experimentation | RAAF
JUDGE
Kristian Cruickshank
Red Fleet Senior Engineer | Chaos1
ROOM 2 - SESSION 2 | 9AM-10:30AM
Entertainment
FOCUS: A new Point of View: Drone and the Reinvention of Film and Entertainment
MODERATOR
Schuyler Weiss
Managing Director | Bazmark Productions
PANEL
Dan Walkington
Head of Originals | Butter Media
PANEL
Duncan Jones
Founder & CEO | Myriad Studios
PANEL
Aaron Corera
Production Manager | Xm2 AU
ROOM 2 - SESSION 2 | 11AM-12PM
Entertainment & Sport
FOCUS: Game Changer: How Drones Transformed the Way We Watch and Enjoy Sport & Events.
MODERATOR
Schuyler Weiss
Bazmark
PANEL
Brian Forshaw
Supercars Director
PANEL
Chris Greaves
Director | Aura Drone Shows
PANEL
Dwayne Clarke
Director of Commercial | DreamWorld
PANEL
Allan Hardy
Founder & Director | Hype Republic
ROOM 2 - SESSION 3 | 2:30PM-3:30PM
Mining, Construction & Asset Management
FOCUS: Dirty & Dangerous
MODERATOR
Jamie Holyoak
General Manager | Australian UAV
PANEL
Andrew Davies
Founder & CEO | Prismo
PANEL
James Rennie
Managing Director | Australian UAV
PANEL
Mahmood Hussein
Founder & CEO | Global Drone Services
FUTURE INVEST
FRI – 13 NOV
Apply to Pitch at Future Invest
In partnership with Beaten Zone Venture Partners
A dedicated pitch day for Australian founders building the technology that will define Australia’s sovereign defence and drone capability. Future Invest brings together early-stage innovators, growth-stage companies, investors, system integrators and defence industry leaders for one focused day of pitching, connection and capital. Presented by Beaten Zone Venture Partners.
Important
Ticket Information
- Congress sessions require a valid Congress Pass.
- The Expo and Drone Zone can be accessed with an eligible ticket.
- Keynote Luncheons are a premium experience and require a seperate ticket.
- Program sessions, speakers and demonstration times remain subject to change.
BEYOND THE CONGRESS
What Else Is Happening Each Day
Alongside the Congress program, delegates and visitors can explore the Expo, watch live Drone Zone demonstrations, attend Keynote Luncheons and take part in day-specific networking and Future Careers activities.
Wednesday 11 November
- Expo
- Aviation Australia Drone Zone live demonstrations
- Congress streams
- Keynote Luncheon
- Networking / stakeholder activity
Thursday 12 November
- Expo
- Aviation Australia Drone Zone live demonstrations
- Congress streams
- Keynote Luncheon
- Networking / stakeholder activity
Friday 13 November
- Expo
- Aviation Australia Drone Zone live demonstrations
- Congress streams
- Keynote Luncheon
- Future Careers Day presented by Griffith University
Be Part of Global Drone® 2026
Choose your pathway and be part of Global Drone®, the world-first event platform bringing drones, robotics, AI, Advanced Air Mobility, defence, agritech, investment, education and live demonstrations together on the Gold Coast, Australia.
Global Drone® is an 18+ event, with all attendees subject to security screening.
Students under 18 may attend Future Careers Day on Friday 13 November as part of a registered school group, or accompanied by a parent or guardian.