A lot has happened since last year’s edition of Commercial UAV Expo. Movement on Part 108 has pushed regular BVLOS operations in the U.S. even closer to reality, new regulations emerged that posed bigger challenges to the growth of the industry, and new technology crops up every day. This year continues to push the idea that the commercial drone industry is at a pivotal moment, and this year’s CUAV Expo stands to show why that is, and what the future may hold and how to prepare for it.

As CUAV News has mentioned a little already, this year’s event will feature content and a show floor that reflects all the advancements the industry has seen. To help attendees prepare a gameplan before they hit the show floor, CUAV news is hosting a webinar entitled The Insider's Guide to Commercial UAV Expo 2026: A Conversation with the Advisory Board on Tuesday, August 11 at 1:00 PM EST. This free webinar will be a helpful resource for those who plan to attend the show, or if you are you just interested in an industry update from professionals from different corners of the industry.

This year's pre-show panel draws on three very different vantage points within the drone industry, which is part of what makes the conversation worth tuning into.

Ashley Hanson leads unmanned aircraft systems operations at John Deere Aviation, overseeing global UAS programs and training while also flying as remote pilot on high-stakes missions. Her background spans flight testing with Amazon Prime Air and hands-on agricultural work, giving her a rare view into how enterprise drone programs scale.

Jared Janacek founded Texas Drone Company, building a business around practical drone applications like mapping, lidar, and data-driven insights. He's also invested in training the next generation of pilots, making him a natural voice on turning drone data into business value.

Ben Stocker is senior construction technologist at Skender, a Chicago-based general contractor, where he evaluates emerging tech like drone mapping, 360 photos, and laser scanning. His focus stays practical: what actually makes project teams more efficient.

Together, the panel spans agriculture, enterprise data services, and construction, three verticals where commercial drone adoption is moving fast.

Throughout this hour-long conversation, these three CUAV advisory board members will walk through what's new across the 2026 conference program, exhibit floor, and live demonstrations, along with the regulatory and technology trends shaping the show, from BVLOS developments to AI integration. They'll also get into the practical side: how to structure three days on the ground to maximize networking, education, and ROI, rather than wandering the floor without a strategy.

They will also talk about why this year’s event is valuable for both first time attendees and veterans of the show.

That's what makes this session worth the hour, whether you're headed to Las Vegas or not. For newcomers, it's a chance to hear directly from people who've spent years navigating the show figuring out what to prioritize, what to skip, and where the real conversations happen. For seasoned operators, it's a gut-check on why 2026 carries more weight than previous years, and where their attention should go given how fast the regulatory and technology landscape is moving. And for anyone who can't make it to CUAV Expo in person, it's a way to stay current on where the industry stands without setting foot on the show floor.

Not able to make it to the live webinar? Register anyway and we will send you the recording on demand.