CES 2020: THE START OF A BIG

Editor’s Note: This year’s annual Consumer Electronics Show, CES 2020, which is the Consumer Technology Association’s flagship event, took over Las Vegas on January 6 through January 10. New and novel drones were among the products on display by the 4,400 exhibitors, spread out among 11 venues across the city, in 2.9 million square feet encompassed by the event. As it has in past years, the Las Vegas Convention Center hosted a dedicated space for civil uncrewed aircraft systems (UAS).

- Patrick Sherman

Once again this year, RotorDrone Pro magazine honored the best of the best with awards in categories that included Best of Show, Best Cool Tech, Top Innovation, Top Value, and Top Professional Drone. In addition to conventional drones, the show hosted several urban air mobility (UAM) concept vehicles from leading manufacturers Bell and Hyundai, as well as hydrogen-powered platforms for industrial applications.

The RotorDrone Pro traveling correspondent, Patrick Sherman, of the Roswell Flight Test Crew, was among the 170,000 participants, including 60,000 international visitors, and nearly 2,000 reporters and other media representatives. Patrick got a close-up look at the latest technology and filed this report following his sojourn in Sin City.

CES is the place to see new drone technology. It brings together manufacturers from all over the world, including some that appear infrequently at industry-specific shows. This event encourages manufacturers to show off their most innovative new designs, owing to the unrivaled attention CES receives from a global audience. However, if the entire history of small, civilian drones in the United States has taught us anything, it is that hardware is only one facet of the industry.

Without a system of rules and regulations that allows us to operate that hardware, it ends up being either a toy or an elaborate paperweight. Fortunately, CES also brings together the top-level decision makers who are shaping how the industry evolves. This year, that included U.S. Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao, who offered a keynote address at the show. She addressed three topics in her remarks: cars, drones, and rockets.