XPONENTIAL 2026 Is Coming to Detroit — What to Know

XPONENTIAL 2026, the largest annual gathering of the unmanned systems and autonomous technology industry, is headed to Detroit, Michigan from May 11-14 at Huntington Place Convention Center.

Whether you’re a commercial operator, a manufacturer, a public safety professional, or just a serious enthusiast, AUVSI XPONENTIAL 2026 is the conference where major announcements get made, major deals get closed and the direction of the industry gets set for the year ahead.

Here’s what you need to know about AUVSI XPONENTIAL 2026.

What AUVSI is — and where it stands

AUVSI (the Association for Uncrewed Vehicle Systems International) is the trade association behind XPONENTIAL. It represents manufacturers, operators, and stakeholders across the unmanned systems industry, and it’s been the closest thing the industry has to a unified lobbying voice in Washington.

On some issues, that voice has been good for the industry broadly. But on others — particularly the FCC’s December 2025 decision to place DJI and Autel on the Covered List — AUVSI’s position has been sharply at odds with the majority of working drone pilots.

When the FCC announced the ban, AUVSI applauded it.

“AUVSI applauds the FCC for placing Chinese drone companies DJI and Autel on the Covered List,” the organization’s president and CEO Michael Robbins said in a prepared statement, calling it a fulfillment of Congress’s intent to “protect U.S. national security.”

Related read: The FCC’s foreign drone ban will save an industry that doesn’t exist

That position reflects the interests of AUVSI’s domestic manufacturer members — companies like Skydio, BRINC, and Red Cat that stand to benefit directly from DJI’s exclusion from the U.S. market. But it’s a long way from where most working drone operators stand. A Pilot Institute survey of 8,056 drone operators found that 43.4% said the ban would have a “potentially business-ending impact,” 97% reported using at least one DJI drone, and only 2.3% supported broad restrictions on new DJI purchases — which is essentially what the FCC delivered. DJI has since filed a lawsuit challenging the ban in the Ninth Circuit, and that case is ongoing.

None of that means XPONENTIAL isn’t worth attending. The conference still remains the best single place to see where the industry is heading, meet the people building it, and understand the policy environment shaping it. But it does mean you’re attending an event organized by a trade association that has taken positions some attendees strongly disagree with, and that context is worth having.

What’s new at XPONENTIAL 2026

This year’s show has several additions worth knowing about, which include:

The Keynight. New for 2026, the conference kicks off Monday evening (May 11) with a keynote followed immediately by a networking reception open to all attendees. Rather than starting cold Tuesday morning, attendees get a chance to connect before the show floor opens.

Government-Led Roundtables. Available to VIP Pass holders, these are facilitated conversations between agency leaders, OEMs, and industry stakeholders, focused on aligning policy and procurement priorities across air, ground and maritime domains. If you work in defense or public safety procurement, this could be a valuable addition to the program.

MDEX Co-Location. The Michigan Defense Expo, hosted by NDIA’s Michigan Chapter, joins XPONENTIAL 2026 for the first time. MDEX brings DoD buyers, government briefings, and one-on-one matchmaking with procurement and acquisition leaders.

New session formats. The conference is adding Technical Briefings, Hands-On Workshops, Provocative Discussions, and Interactive Panels to its programming mix, which looks to be a conscious effort to move beyond standard lecture-style presentations. End-User Workshops will focus on specific verticals including agriculture, security, inspections, construction, and surveying.

Strategic Resilience Track. A new programming track focused on supply chain security, secure-by-design architecture, SBOM/HBOM implementation, and export control preparedness. Given everything happening with the FCC ban, this is probably the most timely new addition to the conference agenda.

The schedule at a glance

Registration opens Sunday, May 10. Monday, May 11 features educational programming, breakout sessions, and that new evening keynote starting at 4 p.m. The XPO Hall (exhibition floor) opens Tuesday through Thursday. Keynote sessions run Tuesday through Thursday mornings from 9-10:15 a.m. The show wraps up Thursday, May 14 at 3 p.m.

Ticket prices — and the early bird deadline

Here’s what passes cost as an AUVSI member at early bird pricing: the XPO Hall Pass (exhibit floor only, includes MDEX) is $139. The Full Conference Pass is $995. The VIP Pass, which includes access to Government-Led Roundtables, VIP Club amenities, and private meeting rooms, is $1,395.

Non-member pricing runs higher across the board — $169 for the XPO Hall Pass, $1,135 for Full Conference, and $1,535 for VIP at early bird rates.

Government, military, public safety, and academic attendees qualify for discounted Special Category pricing starting at $555 (member) or $615 (non-member) for early bird full conference access. Uniformed military and first responders who register onsite in uniform get a free XPO Hall Pass.

Where to stay

XPONENTIAL has negotiated hotel rates through official conference blocks, all within about a mile of Huntington Place. The three official conference hotels are:

1. Fort Pontchartrain, a Wyndham Hotel — in the Financial District, 2-minute walk to Huntington Place.
2. Detroit Marriott at the Renaissance Center — riverfront location near Ford Field, Little Caesars Arena, and Comerica Park, with recently renovated lobby.
3. The Westin Book Cadillac Detroit — a historic 1924 property lovingly restored, about 10 minutes on foot from the convention center.

Why Detroit

AUVSI’s choice of Detroit is perhaps not surprising, as the city itself has made efforts to take its Motor City heritage and position itself as Drone City. In fact, the state of Michigan has deployed over $42 million in public and private investment toward drones in 2025, according to a January 2026 government report that lays out an ambitious vision for the future.

Besides autonomy and manufacturing, Detroit also has ties to national security. The MDEX co-location specifically leans into Detroit’s defense industrial base, as Michigan is home to a significant cluster of defense contractors.

Beyond the conference, Detroit has some gems for visitors including the Detroit Institute of Arts, the RiverWalk, Comerica Park if the Tigers are playing, and a dining scene that has improved substantially over the past decade.

Should you go to XPONENTIAL 2026?

If you’re working in commercial drone operations, enterprise autonomy, defense, or public safety and have the travel budget to attend, then probably. XPONENTIAL is where the industry’s major players make announcements, where government procurement officials show up, and where the policy debates that will shape the next year of regulation play out in real time.

In a year where the FCC ban, the Iran conflict’s drone implications, and the accelerating military drone market are all reshaping the industry simultaneously, having a read on where institutional players stand is genuinely useful.

Just go in knowing that AUVSI’s perspective on “what’s good for the drone industry” and the perspective of the average working drone pilot aren’t always the same thing. Use the conference for what it’s actually good for, such as networking, deal-making, and staying current on where the industry is heading. Then draw your own conclusions about the policy debates.

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