The Indian Air Force has launched Dronathon-2026, a three-day technology showcase and assessment event for unmanned aircraft systems and related innovations. The Ministry of Defence initiative, inaugurated by Air Marshal Ashutosh Dixit, Vice Chief of the Air Staff, began on 14 September 2026 at the Pokhran Field Firing Range in Jaisalmer. The event brings together over 20 defence companies, startups, MSMEs and research organisations to demonstrate drone capabilities under realistic operating conditions.
What is being showcased and demonstrated
Participating companies and innovators are displaying Unmanned Aircraft Systems and technologies spanning multiple operational areas. These include surveillance and reconnaissance, autonomous flight operations, swarm technologies, electronic warfare capabilities, and Counter-Unmanned Aircraft Systems designed to neutralise hostile drones.
The IAF is testing these systems for reliability, effectiveness in challenging and contested environments, and their capacity to meet changing operational needs and emerging threats. A significant milestone during the opening day was the live demonstration of “Vayu UTtaM,” the IAF’s indigenously developed multi-mode Unmanned Traffic Management system. This system successfully detected and tracked both military and civilian unmanned aircraft during real-time trials at Pokhran.
Air Marshal Dixit also released the ‘IAF UAS Roadmap’ on the opening day. This document outlines the Air Force’s capability priorities for the unmanned systems sector, providing Indian industry, academic institutions and research bodies with clear direction on future requirements and innovation focus areas.
What this means for you
If you work in India’s drone and unmanned systems industry, this initiative signals where government investment and procurement priorities lie. The roadmap provides a blueprint for aligning product development with Air Force needs. For citizens concerned with airspace safety and security, Vayu UTtaM’s ability to track unauthorised drones has applications beyond military use, potentially protecting critical infrastructure and public spaces. The event underscores India’s push towards self-reliance in defence technology, reducing dependence on imported unmanned systems and building a domestic ecosystem across design, manufacturing and related services.