Registration is now open for the inaugural Georgia Drone Summit, which will be held Oct. 20-21 at the Classic Center in Athens.

The Summit, sponsored in part by Grady College of Journalism and Mass Communication, will explore the diversity of drone use by connecting professionals across a wide array of industries including agriculture, surveying, engineering, journalism, marketing, tourism and more.

"Drones are an increasingly important part of the media landscape, be it journalism, film, public relations or advertising," said Charles N. Davis, dean of Grady College. "We want to bring the industry together, get to know as many of the players as possible and build ties between them and our students."

The Summit will feature a showcase of innovative drone projects along with keynote presentations and panel discussions covering technology, business practices, legal issues and ethics.

In addition to Grady College, several other industry partners are sponsoring the Summit including CNN Aerial Imagery and Reporting, Turner Entertainment, The Weather Channel, the National Press Photographers Association and the New Media Institute.

"Drones can be an invaluable addition to the journalist's toolkit, allowing us to create unique and powerful imagery, to be more creative in our storytelling and more importantly, to add context and understanding for all of our viewers and users," said Greg Agvent, senior director of CNN Air. "As a new and nascent industry, we're making headway on the opportunities that are before us, but continued collaboration and the exchange of ideas and information are necessary to stay on that upward trajectory."

To register or view a complete schedule of events, visit the Georgia Drone Summit website at http://georgiadronesummit.com/.