DIAS Delegation to Latvia: Strengthening European Drone Collaboration
At the end of May, the Drone Industry Association Switzerland (DIAS) will take an important step in strengthening European collaboration, with a delegation visit to Riga, Latvia from 26–28 May 2026.
Hosted by Alise Pika-Ozola from the Latvian Office for Innovation and Technology in Geneva, this visit reflects a growing momentum across Europe to build closer ties between drone ecosystems, regulators, and industry leaders.
Why Latvia?
Latvia has rapidly emerged as a key player in the European drone and defence-tech landscape. With strong government support, an active innovation ecosystem, and growing expertise in areas such as BVLOS operations, 5G-enabled drones, and dual-use technologies, the country offers valuable insights for Swiss organisations looking to expand collaboration and knowledge.
What to Expect
The delegation programme has been designed to provide a comprehensive view of the Latvian drone ecosystem, combining regulatory, academic, and commercial perspectives.
Day-1 Tuesday, 26 May — Arrival in Riga and Welcome
Visits to select Latvian drone and technology companies, including Aerones and DK Nejet.
Optional: RTU Academic Conference — “Building European Strategic Autonomy Through Unmanned Systems and Human-Centric Defence Innovation.”
In the evening, a welcome dinner hosted by the Swiss Embassy in Latvia, with special guests including the Civil Aviation Authority of Latvia (to be confirmed).
Day-2 Wednesday, 27 May — Drone Summit 2026 https://dronesummit.lv/
Full day at Drone Summit 2026, including the conference programme, B2B meetings and the Expo.
In the evening, a networking dinner with the Australian delegation, with companies from South Korea and Austria also expected to join.
Several side events are being confirmed for that evening, including: Defence Tech Meetup Vol. 6, co-organised by Drone Summit and Startup House, Swiss companies are welcome to attend, as well as NATO Diana Demo Day during the Summit and the Drone Summit Startup Pitch Session both organised by Unilab.
Day-3 Thursday, 28 May – Latvian Drone Ecosystem and Drone House
From 9:00 to 11:00, a morning session with presentations and networking focused on the Latvian drone and autonomous systems ecosystem, featuring presentations from:
- LMT Defence: Latvia’s leading telecom operator and strategic Ministry of Defence partner, developing 5G-enabled UAV systems and battlefield communication technologies.
- MilTech Latvia: the national association for military technology, drones and robotics, with over 70 members, bringing together Latvian and international defence manufacturers to drive next-generation capabilities.
- Autonomous Systems Competence Centre: supporting the armed forces in drone implementation and training, testing of drone and counter-drone systems, and developing international cooperation and joint projects.
Companies from delegations across the Netherlands, Norway, Germany, France, Finland, Australia, Ukraine and others will also be present.
From 11:00 to 14:00, the visit concludes with a tour of Drone House, which is the largest indoor drone training and testing facility in the Baltics hosting the Drone House Industry Expo (DHE26) on 28 May from 10:00 to 20:00, free of charge.
Swiss Delegation
The current delegation includes representatives from across the Swiss drone ecosystem:
- nordfen
- Meteomatics
- Aerial Grid
- armasuisse
This diverse group reflects the breadth of innovation within Switzerland, from data and analytics to infrastructure, defence, and advanced operations.
A Step Towards European Alignment
This visit is more than a study trip.
It represents a broader ambition to:
- Strengthen European drone collaboration
- Share regulatory approaches, including U-space implementation
- Explore joint innovation and R&D opportunities
- Build connections across public and private sectors
- Support the development of a resilient and competitive European drone ecosystem
Are you interested?
There is still scope to tailor elements of the programme based on participant interests.
If you are a DIAS member and are interested in joining the delegation, or would like to explore participation in future international initiatives, please get in contact with the DIAS team.
We look forward to sharing insights and outcomes from Riga following the visit.