AI and Drones – Are We Safe?
About
Join us for a forward-looking webinar bringing together leading experts from across industry and academia to explore the emerging challenges and opportunities shaping this evolving field. Through a series of concise, insight-driven presentations, our speakers will share their perspectives on key developments, followed by a live, interactive Q&A session where attendees can engage directly with the panel. This session is designed not only to highlight current thinking, but also to spark ideas for future innovation and collaboration. Insights gathered will help inform potential next steps, including the development of a thought leadership paper and a follow-on workshop bringing together experts and practitioners to explore these themes in greater depth. Timed to align with the Farnborough International Airshow (20–24 July), the webinar presents a valuable opportunity to connect with a wider audience and contribute to industry conversations at a pivotal moment. It will also position the IET at the forefront of shaping discussion around key technology areas and the future of professional development. Building on the success of similar initiatives delivered by the IET and the Royal Academy of Engineering, this event aims to create a platform for meaningful dialogue, insight sharing, and future-facing strategy.
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Continuing Professional Development
This event can contribute towards your Continuing Professional Development (CPD) hours as part of the IET's CPD monitoring scheme.
14 Jul 2026
11:30am - 1:30pm
Organiser
- Aerospace TN
Speakers
Matt Banham
CTO SAIF Autonomy
Multi-disciplinary applied scientist and mathematician with 29 years’ commercial experience across aviation, aerospace, defence, rail, energy, automotive, cybersecurity, quantum optics and photonics. A safety-critical systems specialist, Matt has deep ED-109A, DO-178C DAL-A, SIL4 and formal methods expertise, including technical authority on NATS iFACTS, one of the world’s largest formally verified codebases. He advises NATS, the CAA, FAA, EASA and BSI on UAV/UAS, BVLOS, DAA, Remote ID, airspace modernisation and advanced air mobility. Skilled in embedded, real-time, avionics, flight-control, assurance and certification, he combines broad scientific insight with practical delivery of novel, certifiable, high-integrity technologies worldwide.
Ken Munro
Managing Partner - Pen Test Partner
25+ years in cyber security. Successful trade sale of SecureTest to NCC. Briefed boards of BoE, LSEG, Tesco. Regulatory / government: Briefed EU Parliament, UK Parliamentary groups, US gov agencies. He’s heavily involved in lobbying for regulatory change and sits on industry accreditation groups.
Captain Alistair Scott
Air Cap Futures - AH Integration - MA BSc(Hons) RAF
Group Captain Al Scott was born in Colchester in 1976. He was educated at Kimbolton School in Cambridgeshire, Southampton University (BSc (Hons) Physics), King’s College London (MA Defence Studies) and the UK Joint Services Command and Staff College.
He joined the RAF in 1995 as a pilot whilst studying at Southampton under the University Cadetship scheme. He completed officer training in 1998 and upon completion of flying training began his operational career on the VC10 (No. 101 Squadron) in the Air to Air Refuelling role, subsequently qualifying in the Air Transport role and as an Air to Air Refuelling Trail pilot. During this time, he flew on Exercises in Oman, Europe and North America, deployed to the Falkland Islands and flew in support of US Navy Operations over Afghanistan in the immediate aftermath of 9/11.
In 2003 as part of the initial phases of Operation TELIC he deployed to the Combined Air Operations Centre at Prince Sultan Air Base, providing Subject Matter Expert advice to the Air Component Headquarters on Air to Air Refuelling operations. On his return to the United Kingdom, he was assigned to RAF Linton-on-Ouse as a Qualified Flying Instructor on the Tucano. He subsequently became an A2 Tucano instructor as part of the Central Flying School standards flight and then returned to RAF Brize Norton as a VC10 aircraft captain in 2006.
Staff roles have included assignments in Career Management, Capability, Safety and in the Defence Operational Capability (DOC) Audit team, assuring Defence through independent and impartial analysis of Operational Capability for Ministers and Chiefs of Staff. Command roles have been as OC VC10 Training Flight and on the Voyager aircraft as OC 10 Sqn; he was Commanding Officer of 903 Expeditionary Air Wing between March and August 2024. Scott joined the Cap Futures team in November 2024 as SO1 Integration which included responsibility for Air’s new combat cloud NEXUS as Programme Director. He assumed the role of Assistant Head Integration in February 2026 on promotion.
Group Captain Scott is the Chair of the RAF Cricket Association; he manages and coaches local youth hockey and cricket teams and plays hockey regularly. He lives with his wife Becky in Buckinghamshire; they have 2 boys studying for GCSEs and A-Levels.
Reasons to attend
There are potential risks when such levels of open-ended decision making are handed over to sophisticated machines that can potentially cause great damage. Government regulation and control are also significant risk areas. Potential technical and operational barriers will be identified in this discussion, and how next steps may develop. A holistic approach also needed considering not just the air vehicle, but also issues like supporting ground-based systems.