Swarm Drone Challenge 2026: MBDA and brigkAIR hosting competition for autonomous drone swarms at ILA Berlin

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    • The Swarm Drone Challenge 2026 will feature a competition of autonomous drone swarms for the first time at the ILA Berlin on June 11.

    Eleven teams from countries ranging from India to Canada will participate in the event and compete for a €50,000 prize. The competition will be held in the Drone Pavilion in the Defence area at the ILA.

    The competition will present challenging tasks for the participating drone teams. The drones will have to work together autonomously in a capture-the-flag scenario and solve tactical tasks. They will also have to demonstrate their capabilities in swarm coordination, communication, and artificial intelligence.

    CONTEXT

    Modern battlefield scenarios require collaborative and coordinated solutions to handle complexity in dense situations.

    To secure the sovereignty of our nations, MBDA develops cutting-edge teaming innovation unveiling solutions like the AI-driven ORCHESTRIKE or the RCM2 (Remote Carrier Multidomain Multirole Effector), which operates in a task-based effector network. Ensuring the highest standards of legal and ethical utilization at all times, they increase both missile and platform survivability and overall mission performance.

    THE SWARM DRONE CHALLENGE IN DETAIL

    MBDA and brigkAIR are pursuing an open innovation approach with the Swarm Drone Challenge. The competition aims to identify and develop new ideas and technological approaches for autonomous swarm operations.

    The challenge leaves room for different hardware and software approaches. Teams can use their own drone platforms and existing systems and develop their own software solutions.

    With participants from companies, startups, and universities around the world, the Swarm Drone Challenge is one of the most ambitious innovation initiatives at ILA 2026.

    In the challenge final under the patronage of Member of the German Bundestag Dr. Reinhard Brandl a jury of industry, research, political, and defense representatives will evaluate the teams based on innovation, technical implementation, and operational capability.

    The final round of the competition will take place at ILA with the support of the German Aerospace Industries Association (BDLI).

    About MBDA

    MBDA is a unique multi-national European group, a world-leader in the field of complex weapon systems, playing a key role in keeping nations safe. Created in the spirit of international co-operation, MBDA and its 19,000 employees work together to support the national sovereignty of France, Germany, Italy, Spain and the UK, and their allies worldwide. As an accelerator for innovation, MBDA is the only European group capable of designing and manufacturing complex weapons to meet the full range of current and future operational requirements of the three armed forces (land, sea and air). Airbus (37.5%), BAE Systems (37.5%) and Leonardo (25%) jointly own MBDA.

    About brigkAIR

    brigkAIR, an initiative of brigk – Digitales Gründerzentrum der Region Ingolstadt, specialized in three-dimensional mobility. It connects startups, industry, research, and public sector stakeholders to develop and implement innovations in drones, autonomous systems, and advanced air mobility.

    Startups and project teams also find optimal testing environments here, as well as highly specialized technological expertise and market knowledge regarding all types of autonomous vehicles, associated business models, and related services.

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