ARLINGTON, Va. — The Association for Unmanned Vehicles Systems International (AUVSI) today named the finalists for the fourth annual AUVSI XCELLENCE Awards. The awards recognize the accomplishments of companies, organizations and individuals across the unmanned systems community. The winners will be announced during AUVSI XPONENTIAL 2021 on August 16-19, at the Georgia World Congress Center in Atlanta.

 “During the last year, the unmanned systems industry rose to meet urgent new challenges posed by the pandemic. It is inspiring to see organizations and companies that led this charge among the XCELLENCE Awards finalists,” said Brian Wynne, President and CEO of AUVSI. “As unmanned systems become increasingly integrated within our society, AUVSI is pleased to recognize this distinguished group for their innovative work that will accelerate our industry forward toward assured autonomy.”

The AUVSI XCELLENCE Awards will honor innovators with a demonstrated commitment to advancing autonomy, leading and promoting safe adoption of unmanned systems, and developing programs that use these technologies to save lives and improve the human condition.

These are the finalists in those categories:

XCELLENCE in Operations 

Enterprise Solution Deployment and Service Provider

• AlarisPro, UAS Fleet Management, AlarisPro Fleet Management SaaS
• PABLO AIR Co., Ltd., PAMNet (Pablo Air Mobility Network)
• Raptor Maps Inc., Software to Increase Utility-Scale and C&I Solar Farm (PV System) Returns
• UVL Robotics, Inc., Inventory Drones
• Volansi, Critical Cold-chain Medical Logistics Drone Delivery In North Carolina

XCELLENCE in Technology

Enabling Components & Peripherals

• Botlink, Botlink XRD2
• Elsight, The Halo Platform — Powered by Elsight's 6th Sense Connectivity
• Hesai Technology, PandarXT-32
• Sagetech Avionics, MX12B Micro IFF Transponder
• Velodyne Lidar, Velarray M1600

 Hardware & Systems Design

• Ascent AeroSystems, Benefits of a Coaxial UAS
• Connect Tech Inc., Rudi-AGX Embedded System
• Embry-Riddle, Embry-Riddle Maritime RobotX Autonomous Vessel System
• SBG SYSTEMS, Ellipse-D
• UCAL Fuel Systems Limited, Autonomous Amphibious Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (AAUAV) & Mountable Water Sampling Device for Water Based Applications

Software Design and Coding

• Autonodyne LLC, UxV Common Control Station with Autonomy Engine Creating Software Defined Vehicles
• Exyn Technologies, ExynAI: Omni-platform Software with Level 4 Autonomy
• Kittyhawk.io, Kittyhawk Air Control
• SkyGrid, A Boeing, SparkCognition Company, SkyGrid Flight Control
• Skyward, A Verizon company, Skyward Drone Management Platform

XCELLENCE in Innovation

• American Robotics, American Robotics Scout System
• Northern Plains UAS Test Site, Vantis: Opening the Sky for True BVLOS
• Northrop Grumman, Distributed Autonomy/Responsive Control (DA/RC)
• Robotic Research, Pegasus Mini
• Skydio, Skydio 3D Scan

Finalists were also named in the Humanitarian and Public Safety categories. These awards will recognize three organizations and/or individuals in each category that have made a significant impact using unmanned systems to serve in humanitarian or public safety efforts. The winners will each receive an award and prize money. These are the finalists for those categories:

XCELLENCE in Mission

Humanitarian Project/Program

• UNICEF African Drone & Data Academy (ADDA) / Virginia Tech, African Drone & Data Academy (ADDA)
• ALTI UAS (Pty) Ltd, ALTI Unmanned Aircraft Systems Operation Blacktip — ALTI Flying in Misool
• DroneUp, Residential Drone Delivery of At-Home COVID-19 Test Kits
• MissionGO, MissionGO Completes Longest UAS Human Organ Delivery Flight
• Northrop Grumman, Northrop Grumman Firebird with Overwatch Imaging TK-9 Assists Cal Fire During 2020 Wildfire Season
• Swoop Aero Pty Ltd, Swoop Aero Air Logistics Platform

Public Safety

• AirShip Technologies Group, Inc., Blueprint for a Medical Transport UAM Medevac Rescue Drone
• Department of Homeland Security FEMA (Region IV), Travis Potter - UAS Coordinator, Response Division I FEMA Region IV
• Easy Aerial, Easy Aerial Smart Air Force Aerial Monitoring System
• International Emergency Drone Organization, IEDO Best Drone Practices Report for Fire & Rescue Services
• National Press Photographers Association (NPPA), Drone Journalism Leadership Summit
• San Diego Regional EDC, Katelyn McCauley - San Diego UAS Integration Pilot Program 

As the unmanned systems industry’s largest trade show and conference, XPONENTIAL offers a broad-based and balanced educational program brimming with cutting-edge content and inspirational insights, ranging from policy implications and technical challenges to use cases and best practices across vertical markets and everything in between.

For more information about the XCELLENCE awards and XPONENTIAL 2021 and to register, visit xponential.org. 

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About AUVSI

The Association for Unmanned Vehicle Systems International (AUVSI) — the world's largest non-profit organization dedicated to the advancement of unmanned systems and robotics — represents corporations and professionals from more than 60 countries involved in industry, government and academia. AUVSI members work in the defense, civil and commercial markets. For more information, visit AUVSI.org.

About AUVSI XPONENTIAL

AUVSI XPONENTIAL is the largest, most significant event for the unmanned systems industry. The 2021 exhibit hall will showcase hundreds of cutting-edge companies from around the world and the conference will feature educational programming by unmanned systems experts, providing information about the future of policy, technology and business solutions and trending topics.