The '2026 Korea Drone and UAM Expo' will take place in Songdo, Incheon, showcasing drone and urban air mobility (UAM) technologies.
The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport and Incheon Metropolitan City announced on July 8 that the sixth edition of the '2026 Korea Drone and UAM Expo' will be held from July 15 to 17 at the Incheon Songdo Convensia.
This expo is a leading domestic event that presents the future applications of drones and UAM in logistics, transportation, safety, and leisure. It will feature industrial exhibitions, international conferences, a drone light show, a drone soccer tournament, and a UAM showcase.
On the morning of the first day, July 15, a public flight demonstration of the 'K-UAM Air Taxi' will take place before the opening ceremony. This demonstration will showcase a UAM vehicle developed by a domestic company, highlighting its potential for public services such as emergency medical response and disaster management.
The opening ceremony will include a theme video depicting the future daily life shaped by drones and UAM, a presentation of strategies for promoting drones and UAM, a VR drawing ceremony, and the kickoff of the international drone soccer tournament.
During the expo, the '2026 FIDA Intercontinental Cup' international drone soccer tournament will also be held, featuring participation from over 20 countries in various competitions, including national and club matches, as well as a super pilot all-star event.
The K-Drone Festival will take place at Songdo Moonlight Festival Park. On the evenings of July 15 and 17, a drone light show themed 'A Future City Where Our Imagination Comes to Life' will illuminate the night sky with thousands of drones. On July 17, a special event will allow 60 selected citizens to experience drone delivery of chicken and beverages.
At the Incheon Songdo Convensia exhibition hall, 137 companies and organizations, including Korean Air, Pablo, UbiFly, and Narma, will participate, showcasing drone and UAM-related technologies, policies, and service models.
The exhibition will feature a UAM integrated hall, a drone company hall, a public innovation hall, a future aviation policy hall, an international drone exhibition hall, and a drone experience hall. In the UAM integrated hall, visitors can sequentially experience the process of becoming a UAM passenger in 2028, including booking, security checks, traffic control systems, vertiport takeoffs and landings, and simulator experiences.
The drone company hall will showcase commercial services such as medium and large unmanned aerial vehicles, transport drones, high-performance batteries for drones, swarm flying vehicles, AI autonomous flight technology, and logistics, inspection, and light show services. The public innovation hall will present cases of drone applications in public sectors, including wildfire monitoring and response, landslide damage assessment, and facility inspections.
A global conference will also be held during the expo, featuring 36 overseas speakers from 13 countries, including the United States, Germany, Japan, and China, discussing global trends in the drone industry, future visions, strategies for entering global markets, and changes in policy, investment, and regulatory environments.
Additionally, the Drone Industry Alliance General Assembly, the 20th UAM Team Korea working-level meeting, the UAM Olympiad technology seminar, and the fourth public briefing for the special drone-free zone will take place. An international conference linked to Incheon’s K-UAM Confex, business meetings, and global company pitches will also be organized.
The drone and UAM industries are moving beyond technology validation to the commercialization stage of logistics, safety, and transportation services, making this expo a pivotal opportunity for expanding the industrial ecosystem through citizen engagement and corporate exhibitions.
Hong Ji-sun, the Second Vice Minister of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, stated, “Drones and UAM are key technologies that will change the daily lives of citizens and open new possibilities for future industries. We expect that this expo will allow the public to directly see and experience the excellent technological capabilities and applications of our drone and UAM industries.”
* This article has been translated by AI.
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