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Unmanned & Autonomous Systems Summit

  • April 8-9, 2026
  • American Institute of Architects, Washington, D.C.

Event Overview

The 14th Annual Unmanned & Autonomous Systems Summit brings together key experts, decision-makers, and innovators from the DoW, Military Services, Industry, and Academia for in-depth discussions on advancements and innovations in unmanned and autonomous technologies essential for the future of military defense and mission success in all combat environments. As the battlespace becomes increasingly defined by drone dominance and the ability to produce, maneuver, and sustain uncrewed systems at scale, this Summit will examine how the DoW is shaping comprehensive drone guidance to ensure operational superiority, responsible integration, and strategic deterrence.

2026 Confirmed Speakers Include

Download the 2026 Agenda for full details

  • Dr. Sunshine Smith-Carroll, SES

    PTDO Deputy Assistant Secretary of War for Platform and Weapon Portfolio Management, OSW A&S

  • MG Cain Baker, USA

    Director, Aviation Future Capability Directorate, FCC, T2COM

  • Rebecca Gassler

    Program Acquisition Executive, Robotics and Autonomous Systems, Dept of the Navy

  • Thomas Lawhead

    Assistant Deputy Chief of Staff, Strategy, Integration and Requirements, Headquarters USAF

  • COL Ken Bernier, USA

    Program Manager, Autonomous Robotics Capabilities, CPE Mission Autonomy

  • COL John Peterson, USA

    Director, Joint C-sUAS University

  • Thomas “TJ” Goulter

    Executive Director, 96th Test Wing, Air Force Test Center

  • Lt Col Jonathan Gilbert, USAF

    Division Chief, AFWERX Prime

  • VADM (Ret) Roy Kitchener, USN

    Former Commander, Naval Surface Force, US Pacific Fleet

  • Erick Brock

    Founder, Ondas Holdings

  • CAPT (Ret) Colin Corridan, USN

    Former Director, USN Disruptive Capabilities Office

  • Caitlin Lee

    Director, Acquisition and Technology Policy Program, RAND

  • Dr. Dimitris Pados

    Director, Center for Connected Autonomy and Artificial Intelligence, College of Engineering and Computer Science, FAU

  • Dr. James Bellingham

    Bloomberg Distinguished Professor of Exploration Robotics & Executive Director, John Hopkins Institute for Assured Autonomy

  • Austin Phoenix

    Director, Mission Systems Division, National Security Institute, Virginia Tech

  • Kateryna Bondar

    Fellow, Wadhwani AI Center, CSIS

About the 2026 Unmanned & Autonomous Systems Summit

TOPICS TO BE COVERED

  • Sustaining Naval Lethality Through Deliverance of Next-Gen Unmanned Aircraft and Weapons Systems
  • American Air Superiority: Defense–Industrial Acceleration in Uncrewed Systems
  • Commanding the Future Fight: Combatant Command Strategy for Autonomous Capabilities
  • Accelerating Secure UAS Adoption: A DIU–DCMA Joint Briefing on Blue UAS List
  • Autonomy Unleashed: Emerging Systems for the Modern Warfighter and Tomorrow’s Battlefield
  • Adapting to the Threat: Counter-UAS in Multi-Domain Operations
  • Leading Unmanned Drone Innovation Through the Rapid Employment Joint Task Force

In FY2026, the Department of War is directing more than USD 13 billion toward the modernization, development, integration, and scaling of unmanned and autonomous systems to ensure drone dominance across contested environments. Confronted with a rapidly evolving threat landscape and technologically sophisticated adversaries, the DoW and the Military Services are accelerating the fielding of innovative unmanned and autonomous capabilities, across air, land, maritime, space, and cyber domains, to strengthen operational reach, enhance battlespace awareness, enable resilient and mass, increase tactical adaptability, and mitigate risk to Warfighters. Through focused investments in autonomy, AI-enabled swarming, counter-UAS, and rapid acquisition pathways, the DoW is advancing a comprehensive approach to maintaining superiority in unmanned systems and denying adversary freedom of maneuver. Attendees will hear from leaders and practitioners across the unmanned and autonomous systems enterprise, gaining forward-looking insights into the continued advancement and operationalization of technologies that will underpin Joint Force advantage and sustained drone dominance on the future all-domain battlefield.

The 2026 Summit brings together key experts, decision-makers, and innovators from the DoW, Military Services, Industry, and Academia for in-depth discussions on advancements and innovations in unmanned and autonomous technologies essential for the future of military defense and mission success in all combat environments. With recent acceleration in autonomous capability development, including new breakthroughs in AI-enabled mission autonomy, advanced loitering munitions, and next-generation drone swarms, this year’s Summit reflects the rapidly shifting landscape shaping the future force.

DoW and the Military Services are rapidly expanding the utilization and integration of cutting-edge unmanned and autonomous systems into military operations to counter modernizing adversaries, achieve and sustain drone dominance across theaters, enhance multi-domain coordination, increase operational reach, improve situational awareness, and reduce risk to the Warfighter. Emphasis will be placed on emerging DoW drone guidance, governance frameworks, and operational concepts that align acquisition, doctrine, and force design with the realities of contested airspace and proliferated unmanned threats. The event will focus on several key topics including human-machine teaming, improving operational efficiency across air, land, sea, space, and cyber domains, ensuring unmanned system resilience in contested and denied environments, countering adversary drone swarms, the latest in technological innovation, emerging threats and challenges, and evolving policy and acquisition strategies that accelerate fielding at scale.

DSI’s team specializes in the extensive research and development of our Summit’s content and focus areas, and we will assemble the most respected minds in unmanned and autonomous systems as well as key policy makers across military and civilian offices. Our non-partisan approach allows us to reach across all services and organizations to bring together a truly holistic group of decision-makers and solution providers.

  • Gain Education & Insight: Walk away with knowledge gained from our senior level speakers on some of the complex challenges facing DoD and Military Services.
  • Build Partnerships:The agenda is designed to allow for ample networking opportunities and the ability to engage in constructive dialogues among all in attendance
  • Influence: Help foster ideas! Share your own insight and knowledge during our interactive sessions. All attendees are encouraged to address our speaker faculty and each other with their questions, comments or ideas.
  • DSI’s Summit directly supports DoD, Military Services, and federal priorities by providing a conduit for officials to efficiently reach audiences outside of their respective offices that directly impact their department’s mission success, at no charge to the government, and in an efficient expenditure of time.
  • DSI’s Summit will provide a forum to address and improve internal and external initiatives, meet with and hear from partner organizations, disseminate vital capability requirements to industry, increase visibility within the larger community, and generally support their mission.
  • The Summit is open and complimentary to all DoD and Federal employees and is considered an educational training forum, and a widely attended gathering.

 

(Industry and academia members are charged a fee for admission.)

Summit is CLOSED TO PRESS / NO RECORDINGS

SPONSORS & EXHIBITORS

The 2026 Unmanned & Autonomous Systems Summit provides opportunities for exhibit space, round table discussions, product demonstrations, luncheon, and cocktail receptions.

BECOME A SPONSOR or Exhibitor

Exhibitors

Association & Media Partners