UNMANNED SYSTEMS: Drone Trade Group Renames Annual Conference

AUVSI to Xponential.

A New Name for Unmanned Systems conference.
(4GWAR photo by John M. Doyle)

ATLANTA — The Association of Unmanned Vehicle Systems International is a big, clunky name with a clunky acronym (AUVSI), but officials of the robotics trade group say the name has to cover a wide area of interests and technologies from aerial drones of all sizes to self-driving cars … from robots that can clean gutters to those that can neutralize mines and bombs … from autonomous ocean-going gliders that measure water salinity and temperature to underwater robots that can inspect the hulls of ships and harbor infrastructure beneath the surface.

So when your 4GWAR editor crossed paths Tuesday (May 5) with AUVSI’s new president, Brian Wynne, at the group’s annual conference, we asked what happened to the suggestion at last year’s conference that a committee would soon start investigating the feasibility of a new name — perhaps something flashier or at least shorter.

“There’s no plan to change the name at this time,” Wynne said over the din of the exhibit hall floor. But he said there would soon be news about the name of the AUVSI’s moveable feast, known simply as Unmanned Systems 2015 (or ’14, or ’13 — you get the idea.)

A busy corner of Unmanned Systems 2015’s exhibit hall.
(4GWAR photo by John M. Doyle)

Well this morning (May 6) there was a new display on the exhibit hall floor (see above photo) and an announcement at the day’s opening general session that next year’s conference and expo — in New Orleans — would be known as Xponential 2016.

In a press release, AUVSI officials called it a “rebranding and evolution” of the annual event, which this year drew 600 exhibitor and 8,000 attendees from more than 50 countries (including Britain, Canada, Germany, Israel, Japan, the Netherlands and South Korea).

“Xponential encapsulates the tremendous growth and innovation in the unmanned systems industry, as well as the broad societal benefits of the technology,” the release said, quoting Wynne. “Xponential will help the world understand the potential of this industry by providing a single gathering place where people can see and interact with the technology and systems that will soon become part of our everyday lives,” Wynne added.

According to the release, more information about the changes can be found at www.xponential.org.