The European Association of Aerial Surveying Industry (EAASI) Summit 2023, held in Lisbon from November 21 to 24, marked a significant milestone in the sector’s collaborative journey. Gathering 77 participants from 49 companies across 21 countries, the fifth edition of the summit underscored a shared commitment to advancing aerial surveying through cooperation and innovation.
Since its inaugural meeting in 2018, EAASI has steadily built a framework for addressing common challenges. This year’s agenda was crafted to tackle pressing issues: airspace access, attracting new talent, evolving business models, and the standardization of data. The sessions blended technical depth with strategic foresight, reflecting the industry’s multifaceted priorities.
Artificial intelligence emerged as a central theme. Emilie Lundblad, Director of Data & AI at Amesto Nextbridge and Microsoft Regional Director, delivered a keynote that examined AI’s expanding role in geospatial applications. Lundblad later joined a panel moderated by Konrad Wenzel, Director of Esri R&D Center Stuttgart, alongside Abigail Coholic, Sales Director at Ecopia, and Prof. Dr.-Ing. Martin Kada of Technische Universität Berlin. The discussion addressed the interplay between open-source and commercial partnerships in refining computer vision models for aerial surveying. Topics ranged from the use of synthetic data for object detection to strategies for boosting generative AI efficiency, and even the phenomenon of Large Language Models “unlearning” information. Such exchanges highlighted the sector’s readiness to integrate advanced AI methodologies into operational workflows.
Air traffic control was another focal point. An ATC Experts Panel, moderated by Cedric Anciaux of CAE Aviation, brought together Dave Connor from RVL Aviation, Søren Vosgerau Jespersen, Vice President Operations, Content Europe at Hexagon Geosystems, Olaf Möller, Project Manager at AVT Airborne Sensing, and Helio Sales from NAV Portugal. Their insights spanned regulatory coordination, operational safety, and the nuances of managing aerial survey missions within increasingly complex airspace environments.
Beyond formal sessions, the summit offered guided tours of Lisbon and social events, reinforcing the importance of personal connections in a technically driven industry. EAASI’s leadership views these interactions as essential for building trust and sustaining collaborative momentum.
Florian Romanowski, President of OPEGIEKA and EAASI President, introduced a new operational framework for the association. “At the Lisbon Summit, we proposed a new face and a new name for workshops – Industry Challenges Committees. The Leaders of Committees, who are members of the EAASI Board, have undertaken personal responsibility not only to manage particular topics during the Summit but to oversee them throughout their term on the Board. My great thanks to them for their commendable community involvement,” Romanowski stated. These committees now focus on specific domains: Simon Musäus of Hexagon leads efforts in university and student engagement; Engelbert Breg of Vexcel Imaging oversees industry technical standards and state-of-the-art technology; Cedric Anciaux manages ATC and aviation authority relations; and Pedro Llorens of SPASA examines new business models and their industry impact.
Romanowski also reiterated EAASI’s founding objective: increasing visibility among potential customers. Despite more than 80% of aerial acquisition data originating from aircraft missions, public and media attention often gravitates toward satellite and drone platforms. To counter this imbalance, EAASI has maintained an active presence at conferences, contributed to professional publications, and leveraged social media to highlight the capabilities and importance of crewed aerial surveying.
The Lisbon summit demonstrated that the aerial surveying community is not only aware of its challenges but is actively building structures to address them. Through technical discourse, strategic planning, and strengthened interpersonal networks, the industry is positioning itself for a sustainable future—financially and ecologically.