Our AUVSI Cascade Chapter is one of 39 chapters of AUVSI worldwide and represents the states of Oregon and Washington with a growing membership of over 400 companies and individuals.  Established in 2009, the Cascade Chapter has grown rapidly while serving our members through our triad of advocacy, community and education endeavors.  First, our advocacy consists of efforts to drive positive regulatory changes at the local, state, regional and national levels that will best serve development of the unmanned systems and robotics industry.  Our Board of Directors  and members engage with government officials to inform and counsel them about the impacts of local ordnances as well as state and federal legislation.  Our directors are often called upon to support regional conferences and panels as authoritative voices on the state and needs of the industry.  As the second part of the triad, our community approach is clearly evident in our chapter’s focused events designed to help create connections and business opportunities for our members, enabling them to network with regional leaders and professionals in business, government and academia working in this exciting industry.  Finally and importantly, our chapter has prioritized education initiatives to include providing members with news of critical industry regulatory actions, publishing timely updates on the latest advancements in technology, and supporting STEM initiatives with chapter grants ranging from elementary education to graduate research.  Our industry-leading chapter initiatives have distinguished us as a two-time “AUVSI Chapter of the Year” – a testimonial to our clear focus on representing our membership in the Northwest.

The Cascade Chapter hosts two major events each year, one in Oregon in the Fall, and another in the Puget Sound region of Washington in the Spring.  Additional networking events or co-hosted events round out our calendar of opportunities for our members to participate with an ever-increasing population of industry followers.