Unmanned Systems West 2026

Unmanned Systems West 2026 will bring together military leaders, government agencies, defense organizations, and industry specialists to examine the latest developments in autonomous and uncrewed systems across air, maritime, and multi-domain operations.

Taking place in San Diego, the event focuses on the evolving role of unmanned technologies in modern defense environments, including ISR, autonomous decision-making, swarm operations, and counter-UxS strategies. The conference agenda explores how emerging robotic and autonomous capabilities are shaping operational readiness, maritime security, and future battlefield requirements.

The event will feature keynote presentations, technical sessions, networking discussions, and case studies covering autonomous warfare, naval robotics, AI-enabled systems, and real-world operational lessons from current conflicts.

When is Unmanned Systems West 2026?

Unmanned Systems West 2026 will take place on September 8–9, 2026.

Themes

Conference sessions will examine a range of topics related to next-generation unmanned and autonomous systems, including software-defined warfare, AI-driven autonomy, swarm intelligence, maritime autonomy, undersea robotics, and autonomous ISR capabilities.

Discussions will also focus on contested operational environments, GPS-denied navigation, cognitive electronic warfare, multi-domain integration, and the future role of autonomous systems within naval and special operations missions.

Additional themes include defense acquisition priorities, interoperability, startup and defense contractor collaboration, and the operational lessons emerging from drone warfare in current conflicts.

What’s On?

The two-day conference program includes keynote presentations, panel discussions, technical briefings, networking sessions, and exhibitor engagement opportunities.

Featured sessions include:

Ukraine’s Operation Spiderweb: Real-World Insights into UxS and Counter-UxS Warfare

This session examines operational lessons from modern drone warfare environments, including survivability, scale, and counter-UxS challenges.

Undersea Autonomy and Maritime Robotics

Panels and presentations will explore unmanned underwater vehicles (UUVs), unmanned surface vessels (USVs), naval autonomy, and the integration of robotic systems into maritime operations.

Swarm Warfare and AI-Driven Autonomy

Discussions will cover swarm-on-swarm naval warfare, AI-enabled sensing, autonomous deterrence, and software-defined warfare approaches for rapidly evolving missions.

Special Operations and Multi-Domain Integration

Sessions will examine how autonomous systems are being integrated into special operations and cross-domain missions spanning air, sea, and land environments.

Networking and Exhibition Opportunities

Attendees will have access to networking receptions, sponsor showcases, exhibitor sessions, and discussions with defense organizations, technology providers, and government stakeholders.

Speakers

The conference will feature presentations and discussions from military leaders, defense officials, government representatives, and industry experts involved in autonomous systems development, naval operations, ISR programs, and multi-domain warfare initiatives.

Participating organizations include the U.S. Army, U.S. Navy, U.S. Marine Corps, U.S. Air Force, U.S. Coast Guard, the Defense Innovation Unit, the Federal Aviation Administration, and defense technology companies including Shield AI, Leidos, Sigma Defense, and AEVEX Aerospace.

Previous Highlights

Previous editions of the conference have focused on emerging UxS operational concepts, naval autonomy, ISR modernization, counter-drone technologies, and AI-enabled autonomous warfare capabilities.

The event has brought together military program leaders, acquisition officials, robotics developers, and autonomous systems providers to discuss capability development, operational testing, and future defense requirements.

Where is Unmanned Systems West 2026?

Crowne Plaza San Diego – Mission Valley
2270 Hotel Circle North
San Diego, CA 92108
United States

To learn more about Unmanned Systems West 2026, to register to attend or exhibit, please click below .