March 30th, 2017
Inspection and Construction Professionals Will Find Advice And Immediate Applications for Using Drones in Their Work at ASCEND Conference

Waukesha, WI  – The upcoming ASCEND Conference & Expo will deliver inspection and construction management professionals practical information about using drones to benefit their business. ASCEND will be held at the Oregon Convention Center in Portland, OR, July 19-21, 2017.

“ASCEND will go beyond celebrating drone technology to provide practical integration of techniques into current practices,” said Tim Kidwell, Editor-in-Chief of Drone360 magazine and leading member of the ASCEND Conference & Expo team. “We won’t just talk about the evolution of the technology; ASCEND will help attendees turn concepts into action plans.”  ASCEND Conference & Expo will convene experienced, successful UAS pros to deliver hands-on workshops, insights into successes, case studies and best practices, and other programming that will drill down to the fundamentals needed to achieve success.

ASCEND will offer a combination of interactive panel discussions, classes, workshops, workflow sessions, mentor meetings, and interviews. A sample of topics includes:

• Aerial imaging and data capture for inspections and asset management
• Next-gen infrastructure inspection with UAS
• BNSF railroad inspections: how UAS increases safety and efficiency
• Using drones for accuracy in stockpile reporting
• Images, maps and models for site surveys: how drones can track progress, manage resources, reduce downtime

Sessions will help attendees do one or more of the following:

• Start a business or incorporate drones into an existing business
• Learn best practices through case studies and practical examples
• Understand policy and comply with FAA, state, and local regulations
• Find resources and management tools
• Provide commercial application workflows
• Minimize financial and legal risk
• Manage data acquisition, processing and use
• Develop operations processes

Additionally, the ASCEND marketplace will encompass all aspects of UAS including service providers, commercial applications, platforms, software, research, technology, training, components, advocacy, education, government agencies, trade associations and retailers.

The commercial UAS industry is at a critical stage of development, with the potential to solve real-world problems across a wide variety of business segments.  Additional targeted conference tracks will focus on real estate, insurance, utilities management, precision agriculture, and police/fire/SAR.

About ASCEND Conference & Expo

ASCEND is a new UAS technology event presented by Drone360 magazine. Attendees, exhibitors, and media can find full details at the website, www.ascend-event.com. Knowledgeable industry professionals are invited to visit the website to submit speaking proposals. Details on each conference track will be presented at the website as the event nears. Event updates will be posted to Twitter @ASCEND_UAS, on Facebook @ascendUAS, and using the hashtag #AscendUAS.

Drone360 is a bimonthly magazine supplemented by a broad range of digital content on its website Drone360mag.com. Drone360 is published by Kalmbach Publishing Co. The editorial staff is comprised of drone experts and enthusiasts. Members of the Advisory Board for the magazine and the event come from varying backgrounds and include perspectives both inside and out of the unmanned vehicle industry. Kalmbach Publishing Co., based in suburban Milwaukee, produces 15 special-interest magazines and websites in fields ranging from science (Discover and Astronomy) to railroading (Trains and Classic Trains), along with events, apps and books designed to meet audience needs in multiple ways.