Today's Edition
ABU DHABI (WAM)
The Unmanned Systems Exhibition (UMEX) and Simulation and Training Exhibition (SimTEX), held under the patronage of H.H. Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Chairman of the Presidential Court for Special Affairs and Chairman of the Smart and Autonomous Systems Council, have successfully concluded the Ministry of Defence (MoD) Coding Challenge. UAE nationals competed in a range of coding, cybersecurity and drone challenges.
Through a collaboration between ADNEC Group, the Ministry of Defence, EDGE Group, the MoD Coding Challenge aimed to strengthen national security readiness by enhancing the skills of the next generation of Emirati coders, programmers and cybersecurity specialists and discover national new talent.
The MoD Coding Challenge took place each hour throughout the three days of UMEX and SimTEX, where participants completed a series of coding challenges to test their skills.
Running in parallel was the Cybersecurity Challenge, where teams could test their skills in realistic scenarios, real-world cyber-attacks and defence situations. Across the three days of the competition Team E, consisting of Muaded Mohamed Al Sahili, Hamdan Owais Alderei and Khalid Khalifa Alderei, took first place.
The team that won first place emphasised the importance of participating in the Cybersecurity Challenge, as it enabled them to use technical solutions to confront cyber risks. They noted that the Challenge was a valuable experience, allowing them to learn from the expertise of other teams and to recognise national talents with tremendous capabilities in software and cybersecurity.
In second place was Team T, consisting of Saeed Turki Alshamsi, Buti Hamed Aljneibi and Hassan Rashid Alyammi. In third place was Team S, consisting of Zayed Hamad Almazrouei, Hamad Mohammed Alshamsi and Hamdan Khamis Alzeyoudi.
The UMEX 2026 Drone Challenge is structured across multiple levels to assessed participants’ competence through a series of advanced tasks. Participants programmed drones to complete missions that emphasise efficiency, accuracy, and creativity.
The event provided a unique opportunity to engage with cutting-edge drone technology and network with industry leaders and experts with 14 teams participating.
Team XENOPS was awarded first place with a time of 1:46, followed by Team Rubber Ducks with a time of 2:20, and in third place was Team Ministry of Peace with 2:34.
Within the Cybersecurity Challenge and Drone Challenge, teams in first place were awarded Dh50,000, second place were awarded Dh30,000 and third place awarded Dh20,000.
These Challenges provided an opportunity for participants to demonstrate their expertise in software development, hardware design and operations planning for drones in a fun and competitive way to stay up to date with the latest technologies in the industry.
Participants used the latest equipment and facilities for the competitions to create a professional atmosphere and competitive environment.
As a leading global gathering for drones, robotics, components and unmanned systems, this year’s UMEX and SimTEX 2026 exhibitions have reaffirmed and strengthened their status as essential platforms for innovation and growth in the unmanned systems sector.
