Airspace World 2025 – your Thursday highlights
Thursday 15 May is the last day of Airspace World 2025, but thereâs no let up in the range and breadth of quality discussions and debates taking place in the five theatres. Hereâs your pick of the sessions rounding off Airspace World 2025.
Tomorrows Voices â The Next Generation of Aerospace: What Does the Industry Expect from You? (supported by CAAS)
Viasat Theatre – 10:00 â 10:50
The aerospace sector is evolving rapidly â driven by innovation, sustainability, digital transformation, and new modes of airspace operation. But what does this mean for the next generation of professionals entering the industry? This panel brings together key industry voices to share insights on the skills, mindsets, and values that future aerospace professionals need to thrive.
Panellists
Ben Stanley, CEO, Firstfruits Services
Huy Tran, Director of Aeronautics, NASA Ames Research Center
Michiel van Dorst, Civil Aviation Advisor, Ministry of Transportation and Telecommunication of Bahrain
Mildred Troegeler, Executive liaison to ICAO & Director, Global Regulatory Strategy, The Boeing Company
Patrick Ky, CEO, International Centre for Aviation Innovation
A Progressive Approach Towards ATM/UTM Convergence
Leidos Theatre – 10:30 â 10:55
As demand for UTM services grow, ANSPs are actively identifying avenues for implementing services while building towards future integration of UTM and ATM. In this session Andy Sage from NATS will describe the proposed path for NATS to safely enable UTM services across the UK. NATSâ OpenAir intends to create a UK-wide digital data backbone that will allow all users to realise the benefits of SWIM to accelerate airspace integration across the UK.
Andy Sage, Director, Safety Transformation, NATS
Revolutionizing Skies: Ensuring Safety and Efficiency in the Age of AI, Drones, and AAM
Wing Theatre – 10:30 â 11:20
The rapid pace of technological innovation is reshaping the landscape of air traffic management (ATM) and unmanned traffic management (UTM), bringing excellent opportunities for automation and scaling â but bringing its challenges as well. As AI, automation and advanced technologies like digital twins and enhanced cybersecurity frameworks take flight, the need to evolve safety assurance methodologies has never been more urgent. This panel will explore how innovation in the sector is redefining safety in the skies, tackling questions of preparedness, regulation and the balance between rapid development and rigorous validation.
Panellists
Albert Guillén, Aircraft Development PM & Senior Safety Engineer, DMD Solutions
Eszter KovĂĄcks, CEO, DroneTalks
Gonzalo Quiles, Head of UTM, Indra
Hugo Silva, Avionics CVE/Certification Coordinator, Daedalean AG
Thorsten Indra, Project Developer, HHLA Sky GmbH
Smarter Skies with AI: Enhancing Safety, Efficiency, and Sustainability in Air Traffic Management
Frequentis Theatre – 12:00 â 12:25
For over a century, air traffic controllers have managed air navigation with critical decisions. Now, artificial intelligence can take over this demanding task, using advanced calculations to optimise airspace management and improve efficiency.
This session discusses how AI can revolutionise air traffic management by improving safety, efficiency, and sustainability. It will talk about how AI tools proactively manage air traffic conflicts, help optimise routes and incorporate digital twins to include dynamic airspace adjustment through trajectory-based operations.
Speaker
Abdul Musawwer, Sr. Deputy Director ATM, Pakistan Airports Authority
Leading Innovation: Implementation of Advanced HAPS & UAS Operations in the Fuerteventura Stratoport
SANS/NERA Theatre – 12:30 â 13:20pm
Rafael Pecos MacĂas will moderate a panel on the Canarias Geo Innovation Program 2030 (CGIP2030). The project aims to position the Canary Islands as a European hub for High Altitude Platform Systems (HAPS) and Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) operations. The panel will address the complexities of airspace design, risk assessment, and the necessary integration with existing Air Traffic Management (ATM) systems by exploring the technological, operational, and regulatory frameworks essential to the success of advanced UAS and HAPS infrastructure at the Canarias Stratoport in Fuerteventura.
Panellists
Eduardo Pereira, Parque Tecnologico de Fuerteventura
Estela Guerrero Garcia, Flight Test Engineer, CATEC
Fernando ArgĂŒeso, Navya
Rafael Pecos MacĂas, Senior Manager for Airspace, Murzilli Consulting
