XPONENTIAL 2026 Is Next Month—Here’s Why We’re Excited

XPONENTIAL is coming up fast.

AUVSI’s annual conference will be held in Detroit from May 11-14, bringing together companies, operators, and policymakers from across the autonomy world.

XPONENTIAL offers a useful snapshot of the current moment in the drone industry, helping you see what’s changing across commercial drone operations, including in public safety, inspection, infrastructure, defense, and more.

And the conference isn’t just a place to see new products on a show floor.

It’s where you can see what buyers care about, what regulators are focused on, and the technologies that are actually moving from pilot projects into real-world use.

Planning to attend? Use code XPO26UAVC to get:

• $25 off an XPO Hall Pass
• $75 off a Full Conference Pass
• $100 off a VIP Pass

Learn more about XPONENTIAL 2026.

Why Attend XPONENTIAL 2026?

Whether you’re looking to see new drone and robotics technology, stay current on policy, or make connections across the industry, this year’s conference is shaping up to be a strong event.

Here are six reasons we’re excited for XPONENTIAL 2026:

1. Exploring a Huge XPO Hall

Credit: AUVSI

The XPO Hall is still one of the biggest reasons to attend XPONENTIAL. This year, the hall will feature 30+ exhibit categories spanning a wide range of autonomy sectors.

That means attendees can expect a broad look at the systems, components, and services companies are actually building for real-world autonomy deployments, including:

• Rotary-wing, fixed-wing, ground, and maritime platforms
• Cameras, imaging, LiDAR, and other vision systems
• Inspection services and other operational support tools

For drone professionals, the draw isn’t just new hardware.

It’s seeing how platforms, payloads, software, and services are being packaged into complete systems for sectors like inspections, public safety, and infrastructure.

2. Getting Up to Speed on the Biggest Industry Issues

This year, XPONENTIAL’s conference program is built around six strategic tracks, all centered on the practical work of deploying and scaling autonomy.

The six tracks are:

• Policy, Governance & Global Strategy
• Strategic Resilience
• Technology in Motion
• Enterprise Operations & Ecosystem Integration
• Building the Workforce of Autonomy
• Autonomy in Action

And the focus for these tracks is on implementation, not just theory. If you’re trying to work in any of these areas the conference will have a lot to offer.

3. Learning about the Future of Drone Regulations—BVLOS, Part 108, UTM and More

The 2026 conference program has a lot to offer if you’re trying to understand where the drone industry is headed.

A few examples of talks from the official agenda include:

• Reviewing the Growth of BVLOS Programs on the Cusp of the Part 108 Era
• Blueprint for Part 108: A Hands-On Readiness Assessment Workshop
• Digital Cooperative Airspace: UTM’s Future under Part 108 and Part 146
• Navigating the Future of Airspace: Integrating FAR 108, Counter-UAS, UTM, and MOSAIC for Enterprise-Level Safety and Security
• Navigating Uncertainty: The FCC Covered List and the UAS Supply Chain
• UAS Risk Management for Critical Infrastructure

And this is just a small sample of what’s on the agenda.

That’s a strong sign that XPONENTIAL 2026 will be useful not just for seeing products, but for understanding the operational and regulatory questions shaping the future of commercial drone operations.

4. Check Out What’s New This Year

AUVSI is making several format changes for 2026, pushing the event beyond the typical expo-and-conference format.

The updates are meant to make the event feel more interactive, and more practical for operators who want more than a standard conference schedule.

This year, XPONENTIAL says attendees can expect:

• More roundtables
• Hands-on demonstrations
• Audience-driven panels
• Technical deep dives that move beyond presentations and into problem solving
• And new end-user workshops focused on real-world deployment challenges

Wondering what the workshops will look like? AUVSI says they’ll focus on specific commercial areas like agriculture, security, surveying and mapping, and construction.

5. Taking Advantage of Co-Located Events

Credit: DRONERESPONDERS

As with past years, XPONENTIAL 2026 will include co-located events that let attendees go deeper on specific topics.

Two big ones this year are:

• The Law-Tech Connect Workshop—May 13–14. This is a workshop focused on legal and regulatory issues in autonomy. Topics will include global drone regulations, advanced air mobility regulations and policies, artificial intelligence policies, airspace awareness, and legal issues for autonomous systems practitioners.
• The DRONERESPONDERS Public Safety Forum—May 11-14. This program is focused on public safety drone operations. Topics will include regulations and operational standards, Drone as a First Responder (DFR) programs, airspace awareness and counter-UAS, AAM and UTM education, and interagency collaboration. This year also adds a new, two-day UAS Program Management Course.

If your work touches policy, public safety, or legal and regulatory questions, these focused events may be some of the most useful programming at the show.

Want to Attend XPONENTIAL 2026?

XPONENTIAL 2026 will take place at Huntington Place in Detroit from May 11–14.

If you’re planning to go, it’s worth mapping out the sessions, co-located events, and show-floor areas most relevant to your work before you arrive.

There’s a lot happening over four days, and having a plan will help you get more out of the event.

Ready to register? Make sure to use code XPO26UAVC for:

• $25 off an XPO Hall Pass
• $75 off a Full Conference Pass
• $100 off a VIP Pass

Learn More and Register for XPONENTIAL 2026.