DSK 2026, now established as Asia's largest drone exhibition, concluded successfully after breaking its previous records for scale. The event marked a significant leap toward becoming an "advanced technology innovation hub" encompassing artificial intelligence, defense, aerospace, and future mobility beyond just drones.
DSK 2026 was held at BEXCO from February 25 to 27, attracting more than 40,000 domestic and international visitors over three days. The event was co-hosted by Busan Metropolitan City, the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, the Ministry of National Defense, and the Korea AeroSpace Administration, with BEXCO and the Korea Unmanned Vehicle System Association serving as organizers.
This year's event recorded its largest scale ever, with 318 companies from 23 countries participating across 1,200 booths. International participants numbered 72 companies, accounting for 22.6% of the total. This represents steep growth compared to 14 companies from 8 countries in 2024 and 66 companies from 15 countries in 2025, further elevating the exhibition's status as an international event.
The exhibition floor showcased integrated drone technologies spanning defense, security, geospatial information, aerospace, and smart cities. Highlights included the "Defense Zone" featuring the Army, Navy, Air Force, Korean Air, LIG Nex1, and WB Group; the "AI Drone Security Pavilion" presenting counter-drone and AI-based security technologies; and the "Aerospace Joint Pavilion" introducing satellite, navigation, and space data utilization technologies. These displays demonstrated that drones are expanding beyond a single aircraft industry to become a core platform for the future.
Major domestic companies unveiled next-generation models and future mobility technologies for the first time. Korean Air presented a subsonic unmanned aerial vehicle being co-developed with Anduril Industries, while LIG Nex1 revealed AI-based swarm drone technology. Doosan Mobility Innovation exhibited a hydrogen-powered drone capable of flying more than 120 minutes even at minus 20 degrees Celsius. Various other new technologies were also unveiled, including precision strike aircraft, coastal reconnaissance strategic models, and domestically produced educational drones.
Business outcomes were also notable. On-site consultations exceeded 3,176 sessions, with estimated contracts reaching 471 deals as of 5 p.m. on February 27. A total of 43 agreements were signed, including a partnership between Korean Air and UK-based Skyports Infrastructure for developing an integrated operations platform for electric vertical takeoff and landing aircraft for urban air mobility, as well as a business agreement between Weflo and WB Group. Approximately 150 investment consultations with participating companies are expected to lead to follow-up commercialization support.
The conference also drew strong interest, with 48 speakers from 13 countries attracting approximately 900 industry professionals. The first day featured discussions on the global drone market outlook and aviation regulatory trends, with IBM, Amazon Web Services, and Shield AI participating to examine AI-based industrial and defense innovation. The second day focused on key technologies of the "New Space" era, including artificial satellites, lunar exploration, and space-orbit AI data centers.
The event, which comprehensively showcased the present and future of advanced convergence industries centered on drones, also demonstrated Busan's potential to emerge as a hub for future aviation and space industries. Lee Jun-seung, CEO of BEXCO, said, "DSK 2026 has solidified its position as Asia's leading drone platform by achieving record scale and expanded international participation. We will continue to develop this into a world-class exhibition where global companies and institutions can generate tangible results."