98 Founding a new trade exhibition and conference is among the riskiest business ventures out there, but after the doors opened to the AUVSI’s first official Xponential Europe event (co-located with the European Drone Forum), it quickly became clear across both conference halls and the expo floor that the risk had been well worth it. There, at the Messe Düsseldorf, from February 18-20, roughly 200 exhibitors were greeted by an influx of thousands of attendees. They hailed from various professions all over Europe and beyond, seeking sophisticated uncrewed solutions to a veritable smorgasbord of industry challenges. With the clear message that Europe is awake and welcoming to the latest developments in uncrewed systems and technologies, the exhibitors showcased a plethora of new innovations in control, navigation, propulsion and more for vehicles operating on land, in the air and at sea. A selection are presented here in the first of a two-part post-show report. Robot Aviation showcased its range of UAVs for defence and critical industrial applications. Among them was its SkyRobot FX-Y, which the Norwegian company is now manufacturing at a series-level of production. “It’s a multicopter built with six motors, integrated as three coaxial pairs [a Y-6; hence the ‘Y’ portion of its product name], which gives a level of redundancy if one motor or prop should be damaged in flight, and it achieves just under 60 minutes of flight time,” says Niklas Nyroth of Robot Aviation. The first-ever Xponential Europe surpassed all expectations with thousands of professional attendees seeking uncrewed solutions throughout the expo hall. Rory Jackson reports Standing ovation April/May 2025 | Uncrewed Systems Technology Uncrewed aerial, ground and ocean vehicles plus all the subsystems in between drew attention on the exhibition floor of Xponential Europe 2025 (Image courtesy of Messe Düsseldorf)
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