Each year, the UAV Flight Test Convention provides a unique platform for research institutions, public authorities, industry partners and users from a wide range of sectors to come together to shape the future of drone technology. In 2026, the 7th Convention will take place in Austria for the first time – a special occasion with an international audience strengthening the local research landscape but also underlining the enormous significance of Graz as a location for the further development of UAS technology.
With FH JOANNEUM as the technical and scientific host and AIRlabs Austria as the implementation and infrastructure partner, the 7th UAV Flight Test Convention 2026 brings together two worlds: scientific expertise and practical application. The focus is on real-world applications, industrial development and direct exchange between research and industry – with test environments offering real-world operational conditions in an alpine setting.
The event‘s diverse setting provides a particular highlight: selected flight demonstrations will be streamed live directly from Winterthur (CH) and Leck (GER). This extends the convention beyond the venue itself, giving participants direct access to a variety of test environments and operational scenarios across Europe.
The two-day event thus offers an extraordinary perspective on what is technologically possible – in the lecture theatre, in the laboratory and in the open air.
