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The International Drone Show has officially sold out all 158 exhibition stands more than two months ahead of its scheduled opening in Odense, 3-4 June, 2026, HCA Airport.
The event has expanded significantly from 100 stands in previous years to accommodate a surge in industry interest. The 2026 edition is set to be the largest to date, building on a previous turnout of over 1,000 stakeholders from 35 countries, including researchers, public authorities, and private enterprises. Organized by Odense Robotics and the UAS Denmark Test Center, the conference serves as a primary meeting point for the European drone ecosystem.
Lisa Rosenlyst Hansen, Business Development Manager, UAS & CUAS at Odense Robotics, said, “We expected this year’s International Drone Show to be the largest to date, but it is still impressive that all exhibition stands are already sold out. It points to a strong event ahead, and we are seeing significant interest in drone technology and the developments taking place right now.”
The show’s format emphasizes practical application through live demonstrations, allowing participants to observe technologies in real-world scenarios. Michael Larsen, Head of UAS Denmark Test Center, notes that the pace of development in the sector has increased the demand for concrete understanding of how these solutions are implemented in practice.
Larsen said, “The pace of development in drone technology has increased significantly in recent years. This places new demands on how solutions are developed and implemented. What makes International Drone Show unique is, among other things, the live demonstrations, where participants can experience the technologies in real-world scenarios and gain a concrete understanding of their capabilities in practice.”
A major focus of this year’s program addresses the role of unmanned systems in security policy and global market development. Insights from the war in Ukraine have accelerated the demand for these technologies, highlighting a need for Europe to bolster its own technological capabilities. Mykhailo Poddubnov from the DOVZHYK Defense Training Center will contribute to the discussion on operational experience and readiness.
Poddubnov said, “The war in Ukraine has shown how rapidly drone warfare is evolving and how critical it is to translate operational experience into concrete capabilities. International collaboration and knowledge sharing are essential to strengthening our collective readiness.”
Poddubnov will participate in a panel debate titled “Airspace Under Fire – Lessons from Ukraine’s Drone War” alongside experts from the Royal Danish Defence College and OODALOOP Technologies. Beyond defense, the conference covers industrial applications, unmanned systems for land and sea, and the future of integrated airspace.
The success of the sell-out event reinforces the status of Odense as a central hub for robotics and drone technology. Mayor of Odense, Peter Rahbæk Juel, suggests that the high level of international interest reflects the established competencies built through long-term collaboration between Danish industry and research environments.
Rahbæk Juel added, “The fact that International Drone Show has already sold out its exhibition stands underlines that Odense holds a strong position as a centre for robotics and drone technology in Europe. At the same time, it demonstrates the growing international interest in the solutions and competencies we have built in Denmark – and particularly here in Odense – over many years through close collaboration between industry and research environments.”
