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MONTEREY – This week the 2026 LIFT Summit gets underway in Monterey bringing together industry innovators, policymakers, educators and workforce development experts in Advanced Air Mobility and Uncrewed Aerial Systems to discuss the future of the industry.

From Tuesday through Thursday, Monterey Bay Drone, Aviation and Robotics Technology, also known as DART, will host the event that aims to showcase initiatives and technologies shaping the next generation of aviation, giving attendees an opportunity to interact with the leaders in aerial innovation.

Established in the Monterey Bay tri-county region of Monterey, San Benito and Santa Cruz counties, Monterey Bay DART,  is a California-based nonprofit that's goal is to advance the low-altitude economy through workforce development, infrastructure and cross-sector ecosystem building, according to the organization. DART aims to connect industry, education and government partners to accelerate advanced air mobility, uncrewed aerial systems and robotics innovation while expanding access to careers.

"The summit emphasizes implementation," said Josh Metz, DART executive director, in a press release. "When industry, education and government align around concrete next steps, we move beyond discussion and drive measurable progress for advanced air mobility in California and the nation."

This year's LIFT Summit is DART's second annual event and will be hosted at the Monterey Conference Center next to the Portola Hotel and Spa.

Attendees will the opportunity to explore groundbreaking developments in air mobility and uncrewed aerial systems, participate in hands-on workshops, engage in panel discussions and network with key players in the industry, says Monterey Bay DART. With a focus on workforce readiness, infrastructure requirements and policy frameworks, the summit aims to create pathways for regional economic development that can be implemented worldwide.

Presenters and panelists include Michael Sanders, director of the Center for Advanced Aviation Technologies; Peter Irvine, staff lead of Advanced Air Mobility Interagency Working Group for the United States, U.S. Dept. of Transportation; Samuel Assefa, director, the Governor's Office of Land Use and Climate Innovation; Emily Warren, deputy secretary for Innovative Mobility, California State Transportation Agency; Parimal Kopardekar, program director, Airspace Operations and Safety Program, NASA; Huy Tran, director of aeronautics at NASA Ames Research Center; Susan Shaheen, co-director, Transportation Sustainability Research Center, UC Berkeley, as well as aviation executives from Joby Aviation, Wisk, BETA, Elroy Air, Ampaire, ANRA, Future Flight Global, ResilienX, Skyway, Woolpert, SFO, SJC and more.

On Tuesday, Expo Day will feature airfield tours and live flight demonstrations from leading companies. In the evening, a reception will be held at the Monterey Jet Center offering sponsors, speakers and guests access to industry executives and aviation pioneers.

Wednesday and Thursday will be conference days with keynote presentations, expert panels and workshops addressing workforce readiness, infrastructure, policy frameworks, airspace integration and economic growth in the low-altitude economy both days. Wednesday night will be a networking reception aimed at connecting industry leaders, government officials, educators and innovators.

The evolution of electric and hydrogen-fueled aircraft industries is significant for the Monterey Bay region, already home to one of the highest concentrations of advanced air mobility activity in the world, according to the Monterey Bay Economic Partnership. Organizers hope by preparing for exponential growth in those industries, the event will help stoke the potential to transform the regional economy and uplift communities through the creation of skilled, high-wage jobs that don't require advanced degrees.

Last September, the Monterey Bay Economic Partnership announced it was awarded a $7.45 million grant on behalf of the Monterey Bay Tech Hub to support expansion of an advanced air mobility and drone ecosystem on the Central Coast and build California's first Federal Aviation Administration-compliant multi-airport flight corridor network.

Part of the concentration of advanced air mobility activity in the Monterey Bay region is the presence of Joby Aviation, which is developing electric air taxis for commercial passenger service. The company is headquartered in Santa Cruz and has been doing business at the Marina Municipal Airport since August 2018, where it has designed and is producing its electric vertical take off and landing aircraft that will carry a pilot and four passengers.