Singapore: At the 2026 Singapore Airshow, American unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) manufacturers took centre stage with a renewed drive to win defense contracts in the Asia-Pacific region, responding to rising concerns about China’s expanding military power and the growing importance of drone warfare in future conflicts.
The event at the Changi Exhibition Centre, traditionally dominated by commercial airliners and fighter jets, saw an unprecedented focus on drones from compact quadcopters to advanced autonomous systems as nations reassess defense strategies amid geopolitical shifts.
Several U.S. technology and defense startups, including Anduril Industries, Shield AI, Neros Technologies and AeroVironment, used the airshow to promote their latest UAV platforms. These companies are seeking to broaden their market reach beyond long-standing contracts with the U.S. Department of Defense by offering advanced systems to governments in Asia that are increasingly wary of China’s military modernization.
The lethal effectiveness of drones in recent conflicts especially in Russia’s war in Ukraine has triggered a surge of investment from Silicon Valley into drone technology and artificial intelligence, boosting valuations and technological capabilities among U.S. firms.
According to industry executives at the airshow, many Asian nations are looking for unmanned systems capable of conducting intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance even in environments where GPS and communications systems may be jammed scenarios seen as likely in any high-tech conflict involving China.
U.S. drone companies are not just exhibiting hardware they are actively building regional footprints. Anduril has established offices in Taiwan, South Korea and Japan and has sold Altius loitering munition drones to Taipei, illustrating a tangible shift toward export-oriented business models. Shield AI is collaborating with Singapore’s ST Engineering by supplying its AI autonomy software for unmanned systems.
Smaller firms are also securing deals: Red Cat Holdings announced an order for its Black Widow reconnaissance quadcopter from an unnamed Asia-Pacific customer, marking one of the first confirmed regional contracts at the show.
Meanwhile, Neros Technologies is planning to set up manufacturing facilities in South Korea, the Philippines, Singapore and Japan to produce large stocks of expendable attack drones that could be used for defense in scenarios such as a contingency in the Taiwan Strait an indication of how seriously regional militaries are taking the threat of conflict.
The Asia-Pacific region is already one of the fastest growing markets for military UAVs, driven by rising defense budgets and strategic uncertainty in areas like the South China Sea and the Taiwan Strait. Independent market research suggests that Asia remains poised to be one of the most lucrative regions for military drone sales in the decade ahead, with demand spanning reconnaissance, strike capabilities, and counter-UAV systems.
This regional pivot is reflected not only in U.S. outreach but also in the broader aerospace discussion at the Singapore Airshow. Other participants, including Singapore’s ST Engineering, presented innovative drone and cargo UAV concepts, signaling that unmanned systems both military and commercial are rapidly becoming integral to future aviation and defense planning.
The U.S. move into Asia occurs amid wider global competition over drone technology and supply chains. Washington has tightened restrictions on Chinese drone imports over national security concerns, and debates continue over reducing reliance on Chinese-made components critical for battery systems and sensors.
China itself remains a major player in the drone market, particularly in commercial platforms and within its own defense ecosystem a factor that continues to shape how regional governments balance security requirements with industrial partnerships.
As the Asia-Pacific region continues to grapple with shifting defense priorities and intensifying strategic competition, U.S. drone manufacturers are positioning themselves not merely as suppliers of hardware but as partners in bolstering collective security. Their growing presence at key events like the Singapore Airshow underscores a broader recalibration of global defense economics one increasingly defined by unmanned systems, artificial intelligence, and the intensifying strategic rivalry between Washington and Beijing.