The drone industry in the United States continues to expand at a rapid pace, driven by advances in automation, data analytics, AI, and regulatory progress. One of the most effective ways for professionals to stay ahead of these changes is by attending drone exhibitions and trade shows.
These events bring together manufacturers, service providers, regulators, enterprise users, and innovators from across multiple industries. Below is a guide to the most influential drone exhibitions in the USA, highlighting what each event is known for and who should consider attending.
Commercial UAV Expo
Commercial UAV Expo is widely recognized as the leading commercial drone exhibition in the United States. It focuses on real-world drone applications across industries such as construction, energy, infrastructure, public safety, mining, surveying, and agriculture.
The exhibition floor features drone platforms, sensors, mapping software, data analytics tools, and enterprise-level service providers. This event is especially valuable for businesses looking to deploy drones at scale or integrate them into existing workflows.
Best for:
Commercial drone operators, enterprise buyers, solution providers, and technology vendors.
XPONENTIA
XPONENTIAL is one of the largest and most influential unmanned systems exhibitions in North America. While it covers more than just drones, UAV technology plays a central role alongside robotics, autonomy, maritime systems, and AI-driven platforms.
This exhibition is known for showcasing cutting-edge innovation, policy discussions, and large-scale autonomous systems development. It attracts a diverse audience from commercial industry, government agencies, and defense organizations.
Best for:
Drone manufacturers, autonomy startups, policymakers, defense contractors, and advanced technology companies.
Energy Drone & Robotics Summit
The Energy Drone & Robotics Summit is a specialized exhibition focused on industrial and energy-sector drone use cases. Exhibitors typically present solutions for inspection, monitoring, data capture, and automation within oil and gas, utilities, renewables, and large-scale infrastructure environments.
Compared to broader drone expos, this event is highly targeted and business-driven, with strong participation from enterprise asset owners and industrial operators.
Best for:
Energy companies, industrial inspection firms, robotics providers, and enterprise technology buyers.
UAV Technology US
UAV Technology USA is a defense-oriented drone exhibition and conference focused on unmanned aerial systems used in military, homeland security, and government operations.
The exhibition typically highlights UAV platforms, counter-drone technologies, sensors, communications systems, and mission-critical capabilities. While more specialized than commercial expos, it plays an important role in shaping the future of government and defense drone adoption.
Best for:
Defense contractors, government agencies, aerospace manufacturers, and security technology providers.
AUVSI Defense
AUVSI Defense is a high-level industry event centered on autonomous and unmanned systems for defense applications. While not a traditional open trade show, it includes curated exhibitions and demonstrations from leading technology providers.
This event emphasizes strategy, interoperability, and the future of autonomous systems in national security.
Best for:
Defense leadership, autonomy engineers, policy influencers, and advanced technology vendors.
GeoWeek
GeoWeek is one of the most important geospatial technology exhibitions in the United States, and a major destination for drone professionals involved in mapping, surveying, and spatial data.
The event brings together UAV companies, LiDAR manufacturers, photogrammetry software providers, GIS platforms, and surveying technology vendors. Drones are a core component of the exhibition, particularly for applications involving reality capture, 3D modeling, and digital twins.
Best for:
Surveyors, mapping professionals, GIS specialists, LiDAR vendors, and drone data service providers.
DRONERESPONDERS Public Safety UAS Conferences
A set of public safety-oriented events where UAV technology is applied to real-world emergency response, including search and rescue, disaster operations, law enforcement, and fire/EMS integration. These conferences bring together first responders, remote pilots, industry vendors, and emergency managers to explore mission-ready solutions, advanced tactics, and public safety UAS operations.
TEXCON — Texas Public Safety Drone Expo
This is a public safety and search/rescue drone conference and exhibition featuring vendor exhibits, hands-on training, tactical sessions, and industry panels. It showcases drone platforms, software tools, accessories, and services that support emergency UAS missions, including search and rescue deployments and disaster response technology.
Rocky Mountain SAR UAS Conference
A regionally focused search and rescue UAS conference where agencies, multidisciplinary rescue teams, emergency managers, and technology partners share case studies, best practices, and operational insights on how drones are used in SAR missions across difficult terrain and complex environments.
Final Thoughts
The United States hosts some of the most influential drone exhibitions in the world. From large-scale commercial expos to highly specialized industry and defense events, these gatherings provide unmatched insight into where drone technology is headed.
Whether you’re a manufacturer, service provider, enterprise buyer, or industry observer, attending the right drone exhibition can open doors to new opportunities, partnerships, and market growth.