In February, the AERPAW team engaged with the broader advanced mobility and defense innovation community through participation in two major events across North Carolina. These events provided opportunities to highlight AERPAW’s research platform, connect with industry and government partners, and contribute to discussions shaping the future of wireless networks, autonomy, and advanced mobility systems.
North Carolina Advanced Mobility Symposium
On February 11-12, 2026, AERPAW participated in the 2026 North Carolina Advanced Mobility Symposium, hosted by AUVSI North Carolina. The symposium brought together leaders from academia, government, and industry to discuss emerging technologies in advanced air mobility, autonomy, and integrated transportation systems.
During the “Local Impact, National Reach” session, Dr. Magreth Mushi, AERPAW Platform Director, delivered a presentation titled “AERPAW: Where Advanced Wireless Meets Autonomy—At Scale.” The presentation highlighted how AERPAW enables real-world experimentation at the intersection of wireless networks and autonomous aerial systems, providing researchers with a unique environment to test next-generation technologies.
Dr. Mushi shared insights into AERPAW’s platform capabilities, including:
- Real-world experimentation environments combining UAV autonomy and wireless networking
- A hybrid physical and digital twin testbed that supports remote experiment development
- Field infrastructure supporting 4G/5G, software-defined radios, LoRa gateways, and autonomous vehicles
- Opportunities for workforce development, industry collaboration, and technology validation.
AFCEA North Carolina Innovation Summit
Later in the month, AERPAW also participated in the 2026 AFCEA North Carolina Innovation Summit, held February 17-19 in Fayetteville, NC. The summit brought together national security professionals, industry leaders, academia, and government organizations to discuss innovation in areas such as artificial intelligence, autonomy, advanced communications, and digital transformation.
At the event, AERPAW participated in the expo, connecting with attendees and sharing information about the platform’s research capabilities and opportunities for collaboration. The summit provided an opportunity to engage with partners across the defense and technology ecosystem and to showcase how AERPAW supports experimentation and innovation in wireless networks and autonomous systems.
