Detroit, Michigan | May 11-14, 2026

AUVSI XPONENTIAL, hosted by the Association for Uncrewed Vehicle Systems International (AUVSI), is a leading global event focused on uncrewed and autonomous systems across air, land, and maritime domains. The conference brings together industry leaders, researchers, public sector agencies, and technology developers to explore advancements in autonomy, robotics, and connected mobility.

Sessions focus on workforce development, emerging technologies, policy, and real-world deployment strategies. This includes dedicated programming in partnership with organizations such as the National Center for Autonomous Technologies (NCAT), highlighting the growing importance of coordinated workforce development alongside technology advancement. XPONENTIAL serves as a key forum for cross-sector collaboration, aligning innovation with implementation and supporting the continued evolution of autonomous and connected mobility systems.

Allanté V. Whitmore, Ph.D., Director of Research & Social Impact, will be attending on behalf of The PLUM Catalyst. During the conference, she will be moderating and participating in multiple sessions within the “Building the Workforce of Autonomy” track, in collaboration with the National Center for Autonomous Technologies (NCAT).

Through this work, she will be engaging with leaders across industry, academia, and the public sector to support conversations focused on strengthening workforce pathways, connecting research to real-world deployment, and advancing inclusive and scalable mobility systems.

https://www.auvsi.org/event/xponential-2026/

---

Conference Highlights

While discussions throughout AUVSI XPONENTIAL 2026 showcased the rapid advancement of autonomous technologies, a recurring theme was the importance of people, partnerships, and workforce development in supporting long-term industry growth.

During the conference, Allanté Whitmore participated in three sessions within the Building the Workforce of Autonomy track in collaboration with the National Center for Autonomous Technologies (NCAT). She served as a panelist discussing PLUM Mobility Labs and its role in creating experiential STEM learning opportunities, and moderated two panels focused on Michigan’s education ecosystem and Detroit’s growing role in the autonomous transportation industry.

Across each discussion, a consistent message emerged: preparing the future workforce for autonomous and connected mobility will require collaboration across education, industry, government, and community partners. The sessions reinforced that workforce development must advance alongside technology to support successful deployment and long-term industry growth.