The ICNS technical program will span the afternoons of April 14–16, 2026, and feature nearly 100 technical papers and presentations from government, industry and academia.
The program includes six tracks, each with multiple sessions, covering the latest developments in air traffic management, operational efficiency, advances in communication, navigation, and surveillance systems, and novel concepts.
Participation is global, with authors from North America, South America, Europe, Africa, the Middle East, and the Asia-Pacific region. There is strong engagement from young researchers, including over 50 student-authored papers.
Technical Program Co-chairs
- Heer Patel, U.S. DOT/Volpe Center
- Paul Prisaznuk, ARINC (retired)
- Contact: technical.chair@i-cns.org
Track 1. Air Traffic Management (ATM)
Co-chairs
Bernd Korn, German Aerospace Center (DLR)
Greg Saccone, Boeing
Track 1 will focus on emerging developments in airspace utilization and air traffic management. Topics include advanced concepts for federated, resilient, high integrity ATM systems capable of evolutionary growth of air traffic. Airport departure management, arrival management, ground movement, and taxi operations will be presented and discussed with emphasis on resilience and environmental sustainability.
Track 2. Operational Efficiency and Special Topics
Co-chairs
Laura Bickmeier, MIT Lincoln Laboratory
Justin Oberman, Airspace Data
Track 2 will focus on evolutionary airspace improvements in the air and on the ground. Topics include trajectory-based operations and emerging CNS applications yielding operational efficiencies. Joint civil-military airspace utilization, UAS integration, and safety implications will be presented and discussed.
Track 3. Artificial Intelligence/Machine Learning
Co-chairs
Christoph Schuetz, Johannes Kepler Universität Linz
Eduard Gringinger, Frequentis
Track 3 will focus on the possibilities for AI-driven optimization and support to aid decision-making for all types of operations. Topics may include air traffic efficiency and air traffic management using predictive analytics and traffic modelling. The application of AI/ML to aviation communication networks and the use of AI/ML techniques for navigation and surveillance will be presented and discussed.
Track 4. Communications and Security
Co-chairs
David Robinson, FAA (retired)
Kelly Curran, U.S. DOT/Volpe Center
Track 4 will focus on data and voice communication resilience. Topics include controller pilot data link communication (CPDLC), L-band digital aeronautical communication system (LDACS), and the assessment of cybersecurity risk in aviation infrastructure. Future communication architectures and techniques will be discussed for air transport and for advanced air mobility. Cybersecurity modelling, intrusion detection and resilience, and GNSS spoofing will be presented and discussed.
Track 5. Navigation, Surveillance, and Special Topics
Co-chairs
Mark Cockburn, U.S. DOT/Volpe Center
Anton Conte, U.S. DOT/Volpe Center
Track 5 will focus on new and emerging navigation and surveillance infrastructure. Topics include GNSS resiliency, advancements in accuracy and integrity, the use of multilateration for improved positioning, and the application of machine learning to estimate aircraft position. Navigation and surveillance concepts will be presented and discussed.
Track 6. Unmanned Aircraft Systems, UAS Traffic Management, and Advanced Air Mobility
Co-chairs
Billy Josefsson, space2ground
Samet Ayhan, Boeing
Track 6 will focus on unmanned aircraft systems (UAS), current developments and challenges of introducing UAS into established airspace, and the evolution of UAS traffic management. Topics include fleet management, mission planning, airspace and associated airspace management. Safety assurance, security, and the use of artificial intelligence for advanced air mobility, will be presented and discussed.