The African Drone Forum (ADF) has announced the launch of the first-ever Africa Pavilion at XPONENTIAL Europe 2026 in Düsseldorf, marking a first unified, continent-level African presence at a leading global uncrewed systems and autonomy exhibition.
ADF is leading and curating the Pavilion as a platform to showcase export-ready African drone and robotics innovators, while facilitating structured engagement with international industry, government, and investment stakeholders. The initiative is supported by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) through a GIZ-implemented project focused on digital innovation.
ADF will also contribute to the 2026 State of the African Drone Industry Report as part of the initiative and convene a closed-door EU–Africa UAS Leadership Roundtable with UAV DACH to address collaboration, regulatory alignment, and investment opportunities.
The Pavilion will feature selected African companies and ecosystem partners across sectors such as infrastructure, public services, climate resilience, logistics, energy, and humanitarian applications, with a focus on enabling business development, partnerships, and market entry.
According to ADF Chairman Eno Umoh, the initiative positions Africa as a coordinated and credible partner in the global autonomy ecosystem, reflecting the scale, export capability, and operational maturity of African drone companies.
For more information www.africandroneforum.org
