Round Table #1

ROUND TABLE

The increasing number of drones in the skies and their safe and settled integration into the airspace represents the core challenge to implement the market.

Over recent years, in Europe as well as in the rest of the world the number of incidents involving drones has increased significantly. In most cases unauthorised drones, called malicious drones, have been identified inside and around the airports. All the EU members are expected to collaborate in order to minimise the threats that unidentified UAS and drones can represent paying particular attention to terroristic attacks.

Drones are currently and commonly deployed to smuggle goods across the borders or into the prisons, to disrupt critical infrastructure and threatens common people.

The use of weaponised drones which is increasing in conflict zones in Europe represents further inspiration for terrorists.

Italy and EU member states are designing Counter Drone Systems (C-UAS) solution to intercept and neutralize mini/micro UAV in several scenario and environments around areas at risk.

The employment of a Counter Drone system (C-UAS) involves a complex multi step process; the aim of the round table is to envolve all state agencies and industries to identify common lines of action to ensure broad protection against the hostile use of drones.

Gen. Pil. Giovanni Savoldelli Pedrocchi

President AFCEA Chapter Naples

Italian Military Air Force General (Retired), has carried out several assignments for the High Commands of the Military Air Force, for NATO and “Comando Operativo di Vertice Interforze” (COVI) (1978-2013). Having terminated the active service in 2016, after having been employed as Flight Inspector at Italian National Aviation Autority (ENAC) (2013 – 2016).
He is now currently the President of the no-profit Association of Armed Forces Communications & Electronics Association (AFCEA) Chapter Naples. He has been Aeronautical consultant for SEA Milano, focusing on anti-drone systems and UAS/Drones inspections.
He has been a member of the Task Force C-UAS (Counter Drone System for Airport protection) instituted in October 2019 by the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA). On behalf of Digisky, avionic engineering firm (EASA DOA/POA e SPO), is Executive Board Member and Managing Director for all activities regarding aerial monitoring services, implied in the observation of Oil&Gas networks, water distribution conducts, powerlines and railway. He is Digisky PM for Alright2T EU Project (Airport-level demonstration of ground refueling of liquid hydrogen for aviation). Furthermore, is an aeronautical consultant of Cesma Lift (company under aegis Università Federico II of Naples) for UAS/drones inspections and C-UAS. UAS Flight Instructor and Examiner UAS (prot. n. 8352 del 24-01-2018), on behalf of ENAC, he is currently Training Coordinator at Entity Recognized TecnoIn Done Academy and Meditech Droen Academy (ENAC.UAS-RE.086 and ENAC.UAS-RE.087) for the release of the Piloting Licence UAS, nonetheless professor of the Aeronautical Regulations, Risk Analysis Management, Emergency Response Planning, CRM, SORA, Auditing following EU Regulation 947/2019 and EU/REG 639/2020.
Currently, he held Commercial Pilot Flight License (CPL) with habilitation for IR/PBN (ATPL FROZEN), has gathered over the year of activity over 2500 flight hours mostly on jet-fighter aircrafts; he has been a Military Air Force Pilot, Fighter Interceptor on F-104 S-ASA, Military Flight Instructor on Fiat G-91, Aermacchi MB 339 and Siai 208. He has been 10° Gruppo Caccia Fighter Squadron Commander (1995) and 9° Stormo Wing Commander (2001).

Dr Antimo Cicala - Dipartimento Amministrazione Giustizia - Primo Dirigente di Polizia Penitenziaria
The criminal use of drones in prisons: analysis of the Italian context and research of the most suitable C-uas technological solutions

Eng. Antonio Manna - Elettronica SpA
Counter Drone Systems: from military to civil applications

Lt. Col. Alessio Alfonso Iozzino - Chief Innovation Department, Italian Army - Centro di Eccellenza Counter Mini e Micro APR
The threat posed by drone and the C-UAS technologies

Eng. Domenico Vigilante - Leonardo
Leonardo technology providing C-UAS capabilities in the emerging scenarios: on going developments and future evolutions

Col. Mario D’agostino - Capo Ufficio Forze di Protezione e Speciali - Italian Air Force, Comando Squadra Aerea
ITAF C-UAS systems

Eng. Pierpaolo De Lazzari - Sea Milano
Drones and threats X Milan Airports challenges

Eng. Mario Salipante - ENAC - Italian Civil Aviation Authority
Drone detection in airport environments: Current status, emerging challenges, and the ENAC perspective

Eng. Domenico Pascarella - CIRA - Italian Aerospace Research Center