The National Air and Space Museum will host the next GE Aviation Lecture Oct. 10. “Surprising Roles for Drones” will explore the ways organizations are using drones to save lives and preserve the environment through judicious use of new technology. Speakers include John Petersen of Air Shepherd, Will Hetzler of Zipline, and Sharon Rossmark of Women & Drones. The lecture will be presented at the museum in Washington, D.C and online at 7:30 p.m.

Aerial photography, recreational flying and pizza delivery are uses for drones that the public may be familiar with, but there is much more to the buzz. This lecture will discuss how drone technology is being used for humanitarian purposes, like flying stealthily at night over the African savannahs and forest to locate and drive off poachers; providing entertaining light shows at large venues across the world; supporting city infrastructure and providing disaster relief help. The panelists, ranging from hobbyists to regulators to entrepreneurs, will also reflect on emerging issues regarding privacy and airspace.

The lecture will begin at 7:30 p.m. To request free tickets, visit https://airandspace.si.edu/events/surprising-roles-drones

The GE Aviation Lecture Series at the National Air and Space Museum is made possible by GE Aviation.

The National Air and Space Museum’s Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center is located in Chantilly, Va., near Washington Dulles International Airport. The museum building on the National Mall in Washington, D.C., is located at Sixth Street and Independence Avenue S.W. Both facilities are open daily from 10 a.m. until 5:30 p.m. (closed Dec. 25). Admission is free, but there is a $15 fee for parking before 4 p.m. at the Udvar-Hazy Center.

# # #