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Defense Advancement is sponsoring UTES 2026 – Unmanned Technologies for Earth and Space, taking place 26–27 October 2026 at Chalmers University of Technology in Gothenburg, Sweden.
The two-day international symposium is free to attend for the general public and free to register for exhibitors, bringing together researchers, engineers, industry leaders, government agencies and students working across uncrewed and autonomous technologies.
The event will examine systems operating across air, land, sea, underwater and space environments, providing a forum for technical exchange between academia, industry and the public sector.
Two-Day Programme Across Earth and Space Technologies
UTES 2026 has been structured around a two-day programme focused on two complementary technology domains.
Day One – Earth Applications will focus on uncrewed aviation, autonomous systems, U-space, advanced air mobility, and land and water applications. Preliminary sessions will address uncrewed aviation and AAM, U-space and traffic management, regulation and airspace integration, as well as industrial applications and technology demonstrations.
Day Two – Space & Planetary Exploration will focus on autonomous technologies for space applications, including rovers, robotics, autonomous decision-making, remote operations and autonomous food production.
Across both days, an accompanying exhibition will give companies the opportunity to showcase their products and expertise to attendees. The exhibition is open to companies of all sizes, with a particular focus on SMEs and start-ups, and registration as an exhibitor, speaker or both is free.
Defense, Autonomy and UAS Expertise
UTES 2026 is expected to feature eight keynote speakers, with six currently confirmed, alongside ten additional technical talks covering topics across autonomous systems, aviation, defence and space.
Confirmed speakers include:
Lars Forssell, Program Manager for Loitering Munition at the Swedish Defence Research Agency (FOI), who will explore Loitering Munitions & Future Defence Systems, including the evolving role of autonomous technologies within future operational environments.
Richard Tanner, Strategic & Operational Advisor, Maritime Autonomy, will address Maritime Autonomy & Future Operations, drawing on experience supporting the transition toward autonomous and remotely operated maritime systems.
Jordi Salvador Bernadí, CEO of BCN Drone Center, will focus on Drone Testing, Certification & Advanced Air Mobility, bringing experience from UAS testing, regulatory compliance and the development of advanced air mobility technologies.
Vladimir Pletser, Director Space Training Operations at Nautexe Global, will deliver a keynote on Human Spaceflight & Astronaut Training, informed by experience spanning microgravity research, mission preparation and operational training.
Dr. Jeevan Perera, Senior Engineer & Manager at NASA, will discuss Human Spaceflight, Robotics & Flight Software. With more than 40 years of experience supporting human spaceflight programmes including the International Space Station, Space Shuttle and Orion, Dr. Perera’s work also includes flight software, risk management and advanced robotics development.
Dr. Shivesh Kumar, Assistant Professor in Dynamics and Control of Mechanical Systems at the Department of Mechanical Engineering, conducts research into the kinematics, dynamics and control of robots, with a focus on developing animal-like physical and athletic intelligence and exploring its applications in space.
Further keynote speakers and presentation topics are still being confirmed, with the event programme continuing to develop ahead of October.
Connecting Technologies Across Earth and Space
UTES 2026 will bring aviation, robotics, intelligent traffic management, Earth observation and space technologies within one programme, aiming to encourage knowledge exchange and collaboration between disciplines that increasingly rely on common technologies including autonomy, AI, sensing, communications and remote operations.
The event will also provide opportunities for attendees to meet researchers, technology developers, public organizations and other industry stakeholders through technical sessions, presentations, demonstrations, networking and the exhibition.
UTES 2026 takes place 26–27 October 2026 at Chalmers University of Technology in Gothenburg, Sweden, and is free to attendees and exhibitors.
