Autonomous Media Publisher Richard Fischer discusses the inspiration behind the new Innovation Vanguard Awards and why now is the perfect time to recognize leading-edge innovation in the unmanned space.
The unmanned industry is evolving at an unprecedented pace, with innovation driving growth and unlocking new possibilities across a wide range of applications. Earlier this year, Inside Unmanned Systems launched the Innovation Vanguard Awards to celebrate the technological breakthroughs and advancements that are reshaping industries—from inspections and mapping to delivery and beyond. In this discussion, Publisher Richard Fischer shares insights on the award’s significance and why now is the time to recognize the visionaries behind these game-changing innovations.
Q: What was the inspiration behind this award?
A: We launched the Innovation Vanguard Awards (IVA) to recognize the hard work, research, and groundbreaking innovation happening in the unmanned, autonomous, and uncrewed systems industry. Over the past decade, through our coverage of these markets, we’ve seen incredible engineering achievements, creative business models, and transformative technologies emerge.
There is a growing need for professional recognition and acknowledgment of these accomplishments. After years of speaking with industry pioneers doing truly game-changing work, we felt it was time to amplify their voices and highlight their contributions—not just within the industry, but also across the various user communities they serve.
Q: Why Innovation Vanguard?
A: The award takes inspiration from the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) and U.S. Air Force Vanguard programs, which accelerate the development of transformative military technologies.
The Air Force Vanguard initiative has driven critical advancements like NTS-3, which enhances the resilience of GNSS navigation systems. Similarly, in the unmanned space, we are witnessing groundbreaking technologies that are redefining industries. It is only fitting that we acknowledge and celebrate those who are shaping the future of autonomy, robotics, and unmanned systems.
Q: Why now?
A: We are at a pivotal moment where technical readiness, market maturity, and strategic investment have converged, making widespread adoption of these systems not just possible—but essential. The value and benefits of unmanned and autonomous technologies are now well established across multiple sectors.
It’s also no coincidence that Inside Unmanned Systems is about to celebrate its 10th anniversary, with a special issue featuring all IVA finalists, set to be distributed at XPONENTIAL in May.
As we prepared this milestone edition, we recognized our unique global perspective on the UAS, robotics, and autonomy ecosystem. This award serves as a platform to spotlight the trailblazers and visionaries who are driving industry-wide transformation.
We continue to be inspired by the innovators we cover—whether in construction, inspection, agriculture, transportation, delivery, oil and gas, emergency response, and beyond. There isn’t a sector that won’t be profoundly impacted by unmanned systems. That’s why it is imperative for us to highlight, celebrate, and elevate the companies, technologies, and individuals leading this charge.
Q: Who should be nominated?
A We are seeking drone service providers, companies deploying ground or marine autonomous vehicles, large engineering firms, and enterprises actively integrating these technologies.
We also invite manufacturers to engage their customers and encourage nominations. Whether you are an airframe or sensor manufacturer, a center of excellence, or a test site, we want to recognize those pushing the boundaries of innovation.
This type of recognition benefits manufacturers, users, and the entire industry—providing both a technical proof point and a business case to help accelerate wider adoption of unmanned systems.
For more details and to submit a nomination, CLICK HERE.
