The Indian Air Force has stepped up its push for indigenous unmanned warfare capabilities with the launch of Dronathon 2026 at Jaisalmer, Rajasthan, bringing Indian defence companies and technology developers together for live demonstrations of next-generation unmanned systems.
The three-day event, inaugurated by the Vice Chief of the Air Staff on September 14, is being conducted at the Pokhran Range from September 14 to 16. The initiative follows an IAF industry outreach programme aimed at identifying technologies that can address emerging operational requirements in the unmanned domain.
The demonstrations cover a wide spectrum of capabilities, including expendable Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance systems, loitering munitions, electronic-warfare-enabled UAS, logistics and delivery drones, mapping and surveying platforms and counter-drone systems.
The IAF is also evaluating technologies incorporating artificial intelligence, autonomous navigation, real-time data transmission and advanced payloads, reflecting the growing importance of autonomy and networked warfare on modern battlefields.
Beyond military applications, the systems are being demonstrated for potential use in border surveillance, disaster management, infrastructure inspection and other civilian roles.
Dronathon 2026 provides the IAF with a direct interface with Indian developers to assess available technologies against operational requirements and identify scalable indigenous solutions.
The event also includes students and local youth, giving them exposure to live and static demonstrations of unmanned technologies.
The initiative underlines the IAF’s continuing effort to accelerate Atmanirbhar Bharat in the unmanned domain while building capabilities suited to evolving security challenges.