Advanced supersonic aircraft, remotely-piloted cargo drones, and even flying taxis are on the horizon. But all these developments necessitate a reevaluation of traditional air law. As these technology developments redefine our relationship with the skies above, the need for robust and forward-thinking legal frameworks becomes increasingly urgent to ensure safe, equitable, and sustainable use of airspace. Similarly, space, once the exclusive realm of governmental agencies, is now a vibrant theatre of commercial opportunities, with private companies leading the charge in space travel and exploration. This new era is marked by rapid technological innovation, from reusable rockets to advanced satellite constellations offering global connectivity, signalling a shift towards more accessible and economically driven space ventures. These developments, from asteroid mining to lunar tourism, suggest vast commercial potential. But they also bring to the fore crucial questions of international law and space governance.

Amid this rapidly evolving commercial landscape, technology means that air and space domains are increasingly converging – indeed, spaceplanes are set to elide the practical differences between air and space altogether.

The Centre for Technology, Robotics, Artificial Intelligence and the Law and the EW Barker Centre for Law and Business, both of the Faculty of Law, National University of Singapore, and the Institute of Air and Space Law, of the Faculty of Law, McGill University, will be jointly organizing a conference with the theme “New Horizons in Air and Space Law: Treaties, Technologies, and Tomorrow’s Challenges.”

This conference aims to facilitate discussion that encompasses the entire gamut of legal and policy issues associated with our new air and space ages. This conference builds on previous collaborations between NUS and McGill, and will be relevant for governmental officials, academics, practising lawyers, in-house counsel, regulators, law students and the broader aerospace community. The conference will be conducted physically, on the grounds of the NUS Bukit Timah Campus.