Unifly and Unifly Consulting Reflect on a Successful Airspace World 2026
From 26 to 28 May in Lisbon, Airspace World 2026 brought together aviation leaders, regulators, ANSPs, technology providers, and drone operators from around the world to discuss the future of airspace.
For Unifly and Unifly Consulting, the event provided an opportunity to connect with customers and partners, showcase our combined expertise in UTM and regulatory consulting, and demonstrate how integrated technology and compliance solutions are helping enable the future of safe, scalable, and efficient drone operations.
Celebrating Success at the Seamless Skies Awards
One of the highlights of the week was receiving the Seamless Skies Award 2026 in the “Building the Lower Airspace Economy” category alongside NAV CANADA and Transport Canada.
The award recognised the initiative “Open Skies, Safe Skies: Canada’s dual approach to lower airspace”, highlighting the power of collaboration in enabling safe, scalable, and future-ready drone integration. By bringing together innovation, regulation, and operational implementation, we are helping shape the future of lower airspace management in Canada and beyond.
“As the industry continues to evolve, collaboration remains the key to turning innovation into real-world operations.”
Contributing to Europe's Drone Strategy
Airspace World also provided a platform for important discussions on the future of drone integration across Europe.
Our CEO and Co-Founder, Andres Van Swalm, and Dr Malik Doole, Director Business Development & Regulatory Affairs, participated in the panel discussion “Towards an Ambitious EU Drone Strategy: Clearing the Path to Real Operations”, organised by the Alliance for New Mobility Europe (AME).
The session brought together representatives from industry, government, and research organisations to discuss the progress of the EU Drone Strategy, where implementation is gaining traction, where challenges remain, and what is needed to accelerate the integration of drones into Europe’s airspace and economy.
“EU Drone Strategy 2.0 has given Europe progressive drone regulation, industry standards, and the foundation for U-space. The next update should focus on scaling autonomous BVLOS drone operations across Europe by advancing U-space services, reducing authorisation bottlenecks, and accelerating the path from application to deployment.
This includes allowing Qualified Entities to support Member States in the technical assessment of operational authorisation applications, continuing investment in automation and digitalisation, and enabling drone operators to move faster from regulatory approval to real-world operations.
Europe should also embrace dual-use applications and strengthen civil-defence cooperation within a single, harmonised European sky.”
Showcasing Innovation During the SESAR Walking Tours
Unifly was also proud to participate in the SESAR Walking Tours.
Together with César Nava Gaxiola from Aena, Youri De Bondt, Technical Lead & Standards Expert at Unifly, presented the EUREKA SESAR3 Fast Track Project Solution 2: “How Connected Partners Enable Vertiport Operations.”
The presentation explored how connected systems and collaboration between partners are helping shape safe, scalable, and efficient vertiport operations for the future of Advanced Air Mobility.
Mentoring the Next Generation Through the CANSO Inspo Tours
Unifly Consulting participated in the Inspo Tours initiative organised by CANSO and Engage 2, connecting with students, young professionals, and researchers eager to explore the aviation and air traffic management industry. Throughout the event, Marco Ducci, director of Unifly Consulting, engaged with participants at our stand in a genuine mentor-to-aspirant exchange, sharing insights that go beyond what any brochure can offer. Conversations were sparked by a crossword challenge, which served as a natural icebreaker and led to meaningful discussions on industry standards, certifications, operational procedures, career paths, and emerging trends. As the dialogue evolved, participants captured key learnings and personal reflections, creating a valuable record of the expertise shared.
"One of the most rewarding aspects of our industry is the opportunity to inspire the next generation of professionals. The Inspo Tours format creates authentic conversations where curiosity turns into understanding, helping young talents gain a clearer picture of both the challenges and the opportunities that await them,"
Engaging with the Industry
The Unifly team welcomed visitors from across the aviation and drone industry at Booth H2-D37 throughout the three-day event.
From discussions with regulators and ANSPs to conversations with partners, and customers, Airspace World once again demonstrated the importance of collaboration in shaping the future of airspace management.
Toby Potter, International Sales Director at Unifly, also participated in the GUTMA Tour, where he highlighted Unifly’s real-world operational experience and successful UTM deployments across multiple regions worldwide, demonstrating how proven solutions are helping enable safe and scalable drone operations today.
Beyond the Conference Floor
One of the highlights of the week was bringing together partners, customers, and industry peers for the Unifly networking event in Lisbon.
As the UTM ecosystem continues to evolve, moments like these remind us that collaboration across authorities, regulators, and innovators is what truly drives progress.
We would like to thank everyone who joined us and contributed to the conversations. The exchange of ideas, experiences, and perspectives throughout the evening reinforced the value of working together to shape the future of aviation and drone operations.
Looking Ahead
Airspace World 2026 provided an excellent opportunity to connect with industry stakeholders, exchange insights, and demonstrate how technology, regulation, and collaboration are shaping the future of airspace management.
We would like to thank everyone who visited Unifly Booth H2-D37, attended our demos, and shared their perspectives throughout the event. We also extend our appreciation to the Airspace World and CANSO teams for once again bringing together the global aviation and drone community.
As the industry continues to evolve, Unifly and Unifly Consulting remain dedicated to helping customers and partners turn ambition into operational reality through innovative UTM solutions and regulatory expertise.
We look forward to continuing these conversations and working together to advance the future of aviation.
For more information, please contact us at press@unifly.aero.
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