Fusion Aviation Roundtable: Connectivity, Network APIs, and the Future of Air Mobility

From smart airports to beyond-visual-line-of-sight (BVLOS) drone operations and high-speed in-flight connectivity, aviation is undergoing a profound digital transformation. As airspace becomes increasingly connected, intelligent, and data-driven, close collaboration between aviation innovators, regulators, and mobile network operators is essential.

The Fusion Aviation Roundtable at MWC Las Vegas 2025 is an exclusive event, bringing together leaders from across the aviation and telecoms ecosystem to shape the future of connected airspace.

The session will open with short presentations from across the industry, setting the scene from airline, airport, drone, and telecom perspectives. These catalyst talks will frame the discussion around key priorities, collaboration opportunities, and network enablers with a focus on how standardised network APIs can power a safe, efficient, and commercially viable aviation ecosystem.

This 2 hour session will focus on:

• Identifying priority network and API capabilities to accelerate aviation innovation
• Exploring technical and commercial enablers for smart airports, secure IFC, and drone integration
• Laying the foundation for ongoing GSMA Fusion engagement with aviation leaders to advance API standards for connected airspace

Through open dialogue and structured discussion, participants will explore shared priorities and opportunities that can inform future API development and network service evolution to better serve the connected aviation ecosystem.

Agenda

10:00 - Welcome by Barney Stinton, GSMA Fusion
10:10 - Presentations
10:45 - Interactive Roundtable Discussions 
12:00 - Close

Featured Presentations

"Unlocking Intelligent Networks: Enhancing Airport Security and Surveillance with Shabodi NetAware APIs" by Charles Nagy of Shabodi. 

"From Connectivity to Control: Mission-Critical UAVs on 5G" by Daniel Kroeger of Skydio. This presentation will examine the current state of UAV operations on commercial 5G networks across public safety, national security, and critical infrastructure use cases. It will highlight the unique challenges of airborne connectivity, such as mobility, interference, and priority access, and outline how future requirements, particularly programmable Quality on Demand (QoD) network capabilities, are essential for scaling safe, reliable, and mission-critical drone deployments

More presentations will be announced soon.

Why Attend

This session offers a rare opportunity to influence the next wave of connected aviation innovation. Attendees will gain direct insight into evolving industry needs and network capability priorities, while building strategic relationships with leaders across aviation, technology, and telecom sectors.

How to Register

This is an invite-only event with a limited number of additional places available. Priority is given to those directly engaged in:

• Aviation operations and infrastructure

• Airline digital transformation and in-flight services

• Drone and UAS deployment and integration

• Development and adoption of network APIs

Register your interest, successful applicants will receive confirmation of their allocated place via their online registration portal. Due to high demand and very limited capacity, early submission is strongly encouraged.