AUVSI — Association for Uncrewed Vehicle Systems International

In this week's Defense Digest, we cover the major takeaways from XPONENTIAL Show 2026, where defense leaders converged on the urgent challenge of scaling autonomous systems from prototype to production, and examine how Ukraine continues to shape the future of AI-enabled warfare through rapid iteration, battlefield data, and ambitious AI-driven defense goals. Subscribe here to receive the full briefing and stay informed on the policies, programs, and technologies shaping the future of autonomy: https://lnkd.in/eEUAp6KB

At XPONENTIAL Show 2026 in Detroit, AUVSI recognized the chapters and chapter leaders who made this association stronger over the past year. Chapters are where AUVSI becomes real, where members feel the community, find the connections, and do the work in their own regions. This year's recipients: Chapter of the Year: AUVSI New England Chapter, for strong programming, engaged members, and a consistent advocacy presence in a region where our policy work genuinely matters. Chapter Leader of the Year: Michael Armon, President of the AUVSI Israel Chapter. Michael couldn't be with us in Detroit, but sent a message that said it all: "This recognition belongs not only to me, but also to the entire team at AUVSI Israel and to all our partners and members who work tirelessly to advance the unmanned systems industry and international collaboration." That is what chapter leadership looks like. Communications Award: AUVSI Lone Star Chapter, for consistent, quality outreach that made AUVSI more visible in one of the most active drone and autonomy markets in the country. Development Award: AUVSI Florida Peninsula Chapter, for meaningful growth in membership, partnerships, and reach in a critical market for this industry. We also welcomed Jeffrey Ostrander to his first XPONENTIAL in his new role as AUVSI's Chapter Relations Manager, serving as the direct connection between our national work and the chapter network going forward. Congratulations to all of this year's recipients. #XPO26 #Detroit #Autonomy Scott Shtofman Michael Robbins Heather Lee Landers

Detroit showed up.   Governor Gretchen Whitmer took the stage at XPONENTIAL 2026 last night to give us a warm Michigan welcome, speaking to Michigan's growing role in defense innovation, drone production, and autonomous systems.   The XPO Hall opens today at Huntington Place, sold out across air, ground, and maritime domains. The week ahead is packed with keynotes, policy discussions, and real-world deployment conversations that are moving this industry from concept to capability.   We are just getting started. Read the full recap: https://lnkd.in/eG9ENNAJ   #XPO26

AUVSI is proud to announce the election of new and returning members to our Board of Directors, as the autonomy industry moves decisively from experimentation to scaled deployment.   Our incoming and returning Board members bring cross-domain expertise across air, ground, and maritime, helping AUVSI advance trusted technologies, drive policy progress, and support the companies delivering real-world autonomy today.   AUVSI also recognizes the meaningful contributions of our outgoing Board members, whose service has strengthened both this organization and the broader autonomy ecosystem.   Learn more: https://lnkd.in/ex5P8em7   #XPO26    Michael Robbins Heather Lee Landers Mike G. Casie Ocaña Benjamin Haas Scott Shtofman

China installed 276,288 industrial robots in 2023. The United States installed 37,587. That gap is more than a manufacturing statistic. It is a competitiveness challenge, an industrial base challenge, and increasingly, a national security challenge. As robotics and autonomous systems continue reshaping global industry, the conversation around “robot-ready” infrastructure, workforce development, domestic manufacturing capacity, and trusted deployment is becoming more urgent across air, ground, and maritime systems. In this new Cheddar segment featuring interviews with AUVSI's President and CEO Michael Robbins and Standard Bots, the conversation focuses on what it will take for the United States to strengthen its position in robotics, automation, and advanced manufacturing — and why the next era of global competitiveness will be shaped by who leads in deploying and scaling these technologies. Watch here: https://lnkd.in/e-jg6U-J These are exactly the conversations industry leaders, policymakers, defense stakeholders, and technology innovators will continue next week at XPONENTIAL Show 2026 in Detroit, including a panel titled "Robotics Policy in the 21st Century: Towards a National Strategy" led by Brendan Schulman AUVSI Board Member and VP of Policy & Government Relations at Boston Dynamics. Learn more here: https://lnkd.in/eZCPNE7u There's still time to register, join us, and continue the conversation: https://lnkd.in/dY3wvYMv #XPONENTIAL2026 #Robotics #Autonomy #AI #Manufacturing #IndustrialRobotics #GroundRobotics #Automation #AmericanManufacturing #AUVSI Grant B. Benjamin Haas Scott Shtofman

Washington is paying attention to robotics and autonomous systems, and the stakes couldn't be higher. Within just a few weeks of each other, Congress held two hearings focused on uncrewed systems, a sign that lawmakers are beginning to treat autonomy as the strategic capability it is. But recognition alone isn't enough. The U.S. learned a hard lesson with drones: when policy fails to keep pace with technology, adversaries fill the gap. We cannot afford to repeat that mistake with robotics and autonomous systems. In Inside Unmanned Systems, AUVSI President & CEO Michael Robbins writes in "Scaling Autonomy Requires Aligned Policy and Strategy" that the U.S. needs a coherent national strategy, one that aligns innovation, regulatory development, industrial capacity, and security priorities. Technology is advancing. Policy momentum is building. The question is whether the two can finally move together. That conversation comes to a head at XPONENTIAL Show 2026 in Detroit, May 11–14, where policymakers, regulators, operators, and engineers will convene to turn parallel progress into coordinated action. The window to get this right is narrowing. Read the full piece: https://lnkd.in/eTtjkZ7H Join us next week to continue the conversation: https://lnkd.in/euUDUzhs

Want a behind-the-scenes look at what's coming to XPONENTIAL Show 2026 in Detroit next week? Expanded defense partnerships, end-user workshops, government roundtables, Michigan Defense Expo colocation, and a whole lot of momentum. This one's worth a listen.   The industry is shifting from "what can we do" to "how fast can we do it." We'll see you in Detroit.   Thanks for having us, UAS Magazine! 🎧 https://lnkd.in/gehzK4jz   #XPO26 #AUVSI #UAS #Robotics #AutonomousSystems #Detroit #Drones   Casie Ocaña Shannon Walker

In this week's Defense Digest, we examine the Pentagon's landmark FY2027 budget request of roughly $55 billion for drone and autonomous warfare programs, AUVSI's President and CEO Michael Robbins' testimony before the House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology warning that the window for U.S. robotics leadership "is open, but it is closing fast," and PM UAS' two new Calls for Solutions expanding acquisition pathways at the platoon and battalion level.   We're also just one week away from XPONENTIAL Show 2026 in Detroit, May 11–14, where government, industry, and defense stakeholders converge to align on the autonomous systems shaping tomorrow's battlefield.   Subscribe here to receive the full briefing and stay informed on the policies, programs, and technologies shaping the future of autonomy: https://lnkd.in/eEUAp6KB