‘KO’ Party to Kickoff World’s Leading Unmanned Systems and Drone Expo this April

AUVSI Florida will redefine the start of XPONENTIAL 2022 with an industry VIP event at Topgolf Orlando

ORLANDO – February 21, 2022 – After two years of masks, lockdowns, and mandates, the unmanned systems industry is ready to reunite – and what better place than under a warm, Florida evening sky. The Florida Peninsula Chapter of AUVSI (AUVSI Florida) will redefine how XPONENTIAL – the leading drone and unmanned vehicle systems show – begins by hosting “KO,” an industry VIP kick-off party at Topgolf Orlando on Monday, April 25 from 7:00 to 9:30 p.m.

Yes, there will be golfing available. But KO is far more than just another golf party.

AUVSI Florida will transform Topgolf into a three-tiered interpretation of air, land, and sea – the three primary domains of unmanned vehicle system technology. Each level at KO will present special food and beverage concepts designed to pay homage to both the past and future of the industry in celebration of the 50th anniversary of AUVSI.

“KO is going to transform how XPONENTIAL kicks-off,” says Christopher Todd, President of AUVSI Florida. “People now have a reason to arrive early on April 25 to participate in one of the greatest networking events the unmanned vehicle systems industry has ever seen!”

KO tickets are on sales now at ko.auvsiflorida.org and start at just $75. Each ticket includes unlimited premium drinks, beer, wine, soft drinks along with food, live DJ music, and other surprises.

AUVSI Florida worked with the AUVSI corporate team in November 2021 to survey members and previous XPONENTIAL attendees to help identify which days and type of networking events were most desirable. From that research, Monday, April 25 was identified as a date that most people said they would like to see a major networking event scheduled.

“It makes total sense,” says Todd. Exhibitors are setting up, there are several co-located events underway, and the main conference program begins early Tuesday morning. Monday is the perfect evening for the industry to reunite for a VIP-style event on the eve of the conference.”

KO will be presented by Percepto, a leading company focused on harnessing the power of robotics for autonomous inspections. KO will also feature a VIP lounge hosted by SMG Delivering Data, and a DRONERESPONDERS Public Safety section hosted by BRINC Drones for first responders to gather together. Other organizations who have already signed on to sponsor KO include Skydio, Virginia Innovation Partnership Corporation (VPIC), Pointerra, Censys Technologies, Florida Power & Light Company (FPL), the AUVSI Lone Star Chapter, Navmar Applied Sciences Corporation (NASC), and more. “It is amazing to see the support KO is generating before we even officially launched the event,” says Eric Schwartz, Vice President, AUVSI Florida. “We sold our top three sponsorship levels by word-of-mouth, and we are seeing increased enthusiasm each passing day.” Schwartz says that early sponsors have already recognized that the layout of Topgolf makes it the perfect venue for KO sponsors and attendees to interact with one another. Gold-level and higher sponsors of KO will have their own golfing bays – like exhibit booths – at Topgolf where they can hang signage, place marketing collateral, interact with attendees, and even host their own golf contests if they choose. Add in food, beverages, and live DJ music, and suddenly KO becomes the ideal networking event to kick off XPONENTIAL.

“We wanted to create a unique, “knock out” experience that people would remember,” says Schwartz. “KO will offer an amazing evening of combined business and social interaction, while also delivering tremendous value for the sponsors who support the event.”

“Savvy exhibitors will use KO as a vehicle to increase appointments and traffic to their XPONENTIAL booth throughout the week,” says Todd. “Party attendees and sponsors can leverage the KO experience to establish relationships with one another in a social setting, before transacting actual business on the show floor. It’s a win-win for everyone.”

Sponsorships for KO presented by Percepto start for as little as $500 and are on sale now. For more information about becoming a KO sponsor, visit sponsor.auvsiflorida.org

To purchase tickets to KO, visit ko.auvsiflorida.org Prices will be increasing soon, so get your tickets early to secure the best available price. Proceeds from the KO event will be used to support the non-profit mission of advancing STEM education and robotics outreach by AUVSI Florida within the state. Proceeds from the DRONERESPONDERS Public Safety section will be dedicated to supporting the use of drones by first responders via the DRONERESPONDERS Florida Public Safety Coordination Group (FLOGRU).

About AUVSI Florida Peninsula Chapter

The AUVSI Florida Peninsula Chapter, Inc. (AUVSI Florida) is a Florida-registered, Miami-based 501(c)6 non-profit organization that serves as a regional chapter of the Association for Unmanned Vehicle Systems International (AUVSI). AUVSI is the world’s leading non-profit organization dedicated to the advancement of unmanned systems and robotics. AUVSI Florida is the official host chapter of XPONENTIAL 2022 – the world’s largest unmanned vehicle systems exposition in April 2022. For more information about AUVSI Florida, visit: auvsiflorida.org