Today's Edition
SARA ALZAABI (ABU DHABI)
The UAE's advanced capabilities in unmanned systems, artificial intelligence, simulation, training, and expanding civil, commercial, and defence applications are on full display at the seventh editions of the Unmanned Systems Exhibition (UMEX 2026) and the Simulation and Training Exhibition (SimTEX 2026), currently taking place at ADNEC Centre Abu Dhabi.
Running until January 22, the event sees participation of more than 375 leading local and international companies alongside experts, decision-makers, and industry leaders from 38 countries worldwide, exchanging expertise and knowledge across diverse fields.
National companies account for 45% of exhibitors, underscoring the exhibitions' role in strengthening local industries, boosting global competitiveness and fostering international partnerships.
Aletihad spoke to several participants at UMEX and SimTEX 2026, gaining insight of how research institutions, universities, technology firms, and national drone developers are shaping the future of autonomy, mobility, and defence.
Academic and Research Presence
From the academic and research domain, Dr Luqman Ali, Research Associate at the Emirates Center for Mobility Research (ECMR) at United Arab Emirates University, said the centre is focused on translating advanced mobility research into real-world solutions.
"At ECMR, we focus on advancing intelligent, sustainable, and human-centred mobility solutions. Our research spans autonomous systems, smart transportation and real-world deployment of future mobility technologies," he said.
At UMEX, the centre is presenting an autonomous vehicle designed especially for the university environment. The vehicle provides safe, efficient transportation between different departments and facilities across the UAE University campus, Dr Ali said.
From Abu Dhabi University's College of Engineering, Sarah Alhasan, Teaching Assistant of Computer Engineering, said they are presenting some of their outstanding projects, including a drone-mounted seed dispersion system designed for environmental use.
"The drone-mounted seed dispersion system, controlled through a web-based mission, autonomously flies to predefined locations and disperses seeds to support growth and biodiversity," she explained.
Alhasan said the project uses automation and artificial intelligence to eliminate manual labour.
Virtual Reality
On the commercial technology side, Khalil Bitar, Sales Officer, PropTech AI, said the company is showcasing virtual reality and Apple Vision services at SimTEX to support immersive visualisation for defence and security applications.
"You can virtually add any product into a virtual space so clients can see it in real time," Bitar said. "It does not have to physically exist yet. You can show a real-scale product during a meeting or presentation."
Bitar explained that this is especially valuable for the defence sector, where systems are often still in development.
He added that UMEX and SimTEX provide an important platform to link emerging technologies with defence needs.
"The importance is to mix AI and your service with potential leads to build stronger business," he said.
Data-driven Operations
From the AI and defence software sector, Vikraman Poduval, Chief Executive Officer, Saal.ai, said the UAE-based company is showcasing advanced big data and artificial intelligence systems designed to support defence and security operations.
He explained that Saal.ai is presenting multi-agent autonomous technologies that use AI to collect and fuse data across multiple operational domains, helping commanders make faster and more informed decisions.
Poduval added that the technologies are designed to function within secure, disconnected environments, which is critical for sensitive defence and security organisations.
"When organisations are cut off from the Internet, their capability is minimised. In our case, we bring the full power of AI inside the organisation so they can leverage its full potential in a secure environment," he said.
He stressed the importance of Made in the UAE defence technologies for strategic autonomy.
"In the defence and security-sensitive sector, having strategic autonomy is very important. It means the customer can adjust the software and system for their own purpose and programme their own capabilities into it," he said, adding that national technologies can eventually be transferred to customers as sovereign capabilities.
On the wider defence landscape, Poduval said the UAE is making strong progress in areas such as autonomous systems, data-driven operations, and AI-enabled decision-making.
Further, he said the future of defence will be shaped by autonomous systems powered by massive data flows, as well as the ability to analyse and act on information faster.
"The defence sector generates billions of data points. If we can fuse and capitalise on that data, that is where the real power comes in," he said.
"It's all about how we shorten the decision cycle, how we tap into more intelligence, and how fast we can analyse the data."
He added that future defence capabilities will depend not only on new technologies, but on how effectively nations can secure, process, and operationalise data at speed.
The Rise of UAVs
From the national drone manufacturing sector, Abdulla Al Falasi, Company Manager at ASA Aerospace & UAV UAE, said drones are reshaping both civilian and military operations.
"Today, the whole world has shifted towards UAVs. In recent years, drones have taken up a huge space in civilian and military use. They have changed the balance in wars, logistics, communications, and many other areas," he said.
He said the company was founded around three years ago as a national project.
ASA Aerospace & UAV now produces drones ranging from two metres to up to 20 metres in size.
"Each drone has a specific platform and purpose. There are surveillance uses, logistics uses, and many different applications," he said.
He stressed the importance of close coordination with government authorities, underlining the strategic importance of national defence technology.
"Anything related to defence is considered national before it is commercial," he said.
