The Indian Air Force (IAF) is organising Dronathon-2026 at the Pokhran Range, Jaisalmer, from 14 to 16 September 2026, with the objective of providing an operational platform to Indian industry, start-ups and innovators to showcase cutting-edge capabilities in Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) and Counter-Unmanned Aerial Systems (CUAS).
The three-day event will comprise static displays and live operational demonstrations, providing an opportunity to witness the employment of contemporary UAS and CUAS technologies in realistic operational scenarios. The demonstrations are aimed at facilitating capability assessment, operational evaluation and identification of viable indigenous solutions to meet the evolving requirements of the Armed Forces.
The Dronathon will focus on key capability domains, including Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR), autonomous operations, swarm technologies and electronic warfare, with particular emphasis on their operational utility, scalability and effectiveness in the contemporary battlespace.
The initiative seeks to strengthen the interface between the Armed Forces, defence industry, start-ups and technology innovators, thereby promoting greater collaboration, innovation and accelerated induction of indigenous technologies into the defence ecosystem.
Dronathon-2026 is aligned with the Government of India’s vision of Atmanirbhar Bharat and the IAF’s continued endeavour towards indigenisation and capability enhancement. The initiative will contribute towards developing a robust domestic UAS and CUAS ecosystem and enhancing the technological edge of the Indian Armed Forces.
Through such initiatives, the IAF remains steadfast in its commitment to building a technologically superior, operationally agile and future-ready force, capable of responding effectively to emerging and evolving security challenges in the rapidly changing operational environment.
