Air Marshal Ashutosh Dixit inaugurates the three-day event at Pokhran Field Firing Range, Jaisalmer, attended by senior functionaries from various defense sectors. Over 20 leading companies and innovators participate in demonstrating their Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) and associated technologies.
Air Marshal Ashutosh Dixit, Vice Chief of the Air Staff, inaugurated the first Indian Air Force (IAF) Dronathon-2026 at the Pokhran Field Firing Range, Jaisalmer, on September 14, 2026. The event is attended by senior functionaries from the Ministry of Defence (MoD), Headquarters Integrated Defence Staff (IDS), Indian Army, and BSF. Dronathon-2026 is an IAF initiative to engage directly with the Indian unmanned systems industry and assess emerging technologies under realistic operational conditions.
The three-day event, planned from September 14 to 16, 2026, brings together over 20 leading defense companies, start-ups MSMEs, DPSUs, and innovators from India's rapidly evolving unmanned systems ecosystem. During the Dronathon, participating companies and innovators demonstrate their Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) and associated technologies at the Pokhran range.
The demonstrations encompass a wide spectrum of operational capabilities including surveillance and reconnaissance, autonomous operations, swarm technologies, electronic warfare, and Counter-Unmanned Aircraft Systems (CUAS). The central focus of Dronathon-2026 is to move from technology demonstration to operational effect. The systems are being assessed for their reliability, effectiveness in demanding and contested environments, and ability to adapt to evolving operational requirements and emerging threats.
On the opening day of Dronathon-2026, the Indian Air Force successfully demonstrated a key capability of 'Vayu UTtaM,' its indigenously developed multi-mode Unmanned Traffic Management (UTM) system. During its real-time demonstration at Pokhran, it detected and tracked both military and civil UAS. The capability is designed to facilitate coordinated management of UAS operations in increasingly congested airspace, while also supporting the identification and timely mitigation of unauthorised or rogue drones.
Source:
Press Information Bureau
