Swiss Drone Industry Day 2026: Navigating the Future of Swiss Airspace and Innovation

On 21 May 2026, DIAS will host the Swiss Drone Industry Day 2026 at Swisscom in Ittigen, bringing together stakeholders from across Switzerland’s rapidly evolving drone ecosystem for a full day of discussion, insight and collaboration.

As Switzerland continues to position itself as one of Europe’s leading environments for drone innovation, the event will provide a platform for regulators, operators, technology companies, emergency services and industry leaders to address both the opportunities and challenges shaping the future of the sector.

Swiss Airspace Forum: Navigating a Shared Sky

The morning programme, open to all participants, will focus on the future of Swiss airspace and the integration of drones into increasingly complex operational environments.

Under the theme “Navigating a Shared Sky”, speakers from the Federal Office of Civil Aviation (FOCA), alongside industry experts, will discuss how Switzerland can continue enabling innovation while maintaining the highest standards of safety, transparency and operational coordination.

Sessions will include:

• Why are drone operations not scaling in Switzerland?
  Presented by Nicolas Ackermann, Head of the Centre of Competence Drones at UBS, this discussion will examine the barriers currently limiting wider operational adoption and scaling.
• Shaping Swiss airspace for the future
  Senior management representatives from FOCA will share perspectives on how Swiss airspace is evolving to support future drone operations and new aviation technologies.
• U-Space in Switzerland: learnings after the first trial
  Larissa Haas from FOCA’s Technology and Innovation Unit will present lessons learned from Switzerland’s early U-Space implementations and what they mean for future deployment.
• FASST in Switzerland: building a more visible airspace
  Patrick Lelièvre, Expert in Policy and Rulemaking at FOCA, will discuss the development of FASST and its role in improving airspace visibility and situational awareness.

Together, these sessions will provide attendees with a clearer understanding of the regulatory and operational landscape shaping drone operations in Switzerland over the coming years.

Afternoon Focus: Industry Perspective Talks

Following the DIAS General Assembly, the afternoon programme will shift towards industry collaboration, innovation and strategic capability development kicking off with an introduction from Swisscom.

A major highlight of the day will be the presentation from Innosuisse and armasuisse on the Dual-Use Flagship Programme, featuring Dr. Kathrin Kramer and Marc Gerber.

As drone technologies increasingly sit at the intersection of civil, public safety and security applications, the importance of dual-use innovation has grown significantly across Europe and globally. This session will explore how Switzerland is supporting the development of technologies capable of delivering value across multiple operational domains, while strengthening resilience, innovation capacity and technological independence.

The presentation is expected to provide valuable insight into how Swiss organisations can engage with national innovation programmes and strategic funding opportunities that support the next generation of advanced technologies.

For many attendees, this session represents one of the most important discussions of the day, reflecting the growing recognition that drones are no longer niche technologies, but critical tools with applications spanning infrastructure, emergency response, environmental monitoring, logistics, defence support and public safety.

Welcoming New Members to the Swiss Drone Ecosystem

The event will also include introductions from new DIAS members, showcasing the continued growth and diversity of the Swiss drone industry.

New member introductions will include companies such as DroneControl, alongside other innovative organisations contributing to the future of unmanned aviation and connected technologies.

This segment highlights the increasing momentum within the Swiss ecosystem and the importance of collaboration between hardware manufacturers, software providers, connectivity specialists and operational users.

Panel Discussion: Drones, Society and Public Confidence

The day will conclude with a panel discussion titled “Drones, Society and Public Confidence”, moderated by Simon Johnson.

Bringing together industry experts, the discussion will explore how the drone sector can continue building public trust through safety, transparency and responsible operations. As drones become more visible within everyday society, public understanding and confidence are becoming increasingly important to enabling long-term adoption and operational growth.

The panel will examine how industry, regulators and operators can work together to ensure drones are viewed not only as innovative technologies, but as trusted tools capable of delivering meaningful benefits to society.

As always this will be followed by the traditional DIAS Aperol

Supporting the Continued Growth of the Swiss Drone Industry

Swiss Drone Industry Day 2026 reflects the continued maturity and ambition of Switzerland’s drone sector. By bringing together regulators, innovators, operators and public stakeholders in a collaborative environment, the event aims to support constructive dialogue and help shape the next phase of growth for the industry.

As Switzerland continues to play a leading role in drone innovation, events such as this remain essential in ensuring that technological advancement is matched by operational excellence, public confidence and a clear strategic vision for the future.

Register here now!