Korean Drone Makers Pivot to Military With AI, Local Parts

BUSAN—From children's wonder to military might, Korea's drone industry captured hearts across all ages at the nation's largest drone exhibition.

Bexco convention center in Busan's Haeundae district was packed with visitors on the 25th, drawn to Drone Show Korea 2026. Drones of all sizes filled the venue, from compact 2-kilogram models to medium-sized aircraft exceeding 50 kilograms. Attendees eagerly lifted the aircraft themselves, peppering exhibitors with questions.

Drone Show Korea is jointly hosted by the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy, Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, Ministry of National Defense, and Busan Metropolitan City. This year's event drew 318 companies from 23 countries, with 1,200 exhibition booths. Pre-registration alone reached 12,000 visitors, with total attendance expected to hit 40,000 by closing day, according to organizers.

Advanced defense products dominated this year's show. Companies that previously focused on civilian drones shifted military-grade products to the forefront—a direct response to the government's initiative to train 500,000 military drone operators.

AI and Localization Take Center Stage

Artificial intelligence and domestic component production emerged as the industry's key themes for winning military contracts. AI determines a drone's intelligent mission capabilities, making it the defining factor in military drone performance.

Drone startup Nearslab highlighted AI-powered autonomous flight capabilities, with its swarm autonomous drone "Ziden" drawing particular attention. The camera-equipped military drone uses AI to identify and intercept targets.

"Military operations require drones that autonomously understand and complete missions through self-directed flight," said Choi Jae-hyuk, CEO of Nearslab. "We're focusing on military drone development based on physical AI technology."

LIG Nex1 unveiled its first AI-enabled drone this year, exhibiting an "AI-based swarm unmanned aerial vehicle" under development with the Agency for Defense Development. The aircraft performs autonomous missions using AI.

"Military operational trends are shifting toward manned-unmanned teaming operations using AI," said Song Jun-ho, executive director at LIG Nex1. "We're developing AI drones to lead the next generation of defense industry."

Domestic Parts a Military Mandate

Component localization proved equally critical. Companies at the event agreed that "the military's most important requirement is using domestic parts." Security concerns demand independence from foreign suppliers to ensure stable production and operational security.

Prenew, founded in 2017, displayed its military training drone "Pandio Q500" while emphasizing in-house development of core components.

"We're developing drones optimized for our military by manufacturing key components including flight control computers and GPS systems ourselves," said Kim Je-jung, COO of Prenew.

Traditional defense contractors Korea Aerospace Industries and Poongsan also stressed domestic component production. KAI highlighted its proprietary software for drone control AI.

"We must localize not just drone airframes but the underlying AI production technology to prevent our defense platforms from becoming dependent on foreign companies," said Lee Min-su, general manager at KAI.

Korean Air showcased next-generation AI-based unmanned aircraft and advanced air mobility technologies, along with small multipurpose drones, strike drones, communication relay drones, and swarm drone-based maintenance, repair, and overhaul capabilities.

Foreign Military Officials Eye Korean Technology

Military officials from the United States, Saudi Arabia, Thailand, and other countries visited major defense company booths throughout the day. Exhibitors expressed hope the event would help them gain recognition not only from the Korean military but also from foreign agencies and defense contractors.

"The number of foreign visitors to Drone Show Korea grows every year," said Lee Jin-mo, CEO of Airvility. "For drone companies, it's an excellent opportunity to introduce our advancing capabilities to foreign military officials."