Gazeta Morska's Drone Forum — AMW UAV Forum is one of Poland's key events dedicated to the development of unmanned systems. The conference will take place on April 15, 2026 at the Polish Naval Academy in Gdynia and serves as a platform for exchanging knowledge between representatives of the armed forces, industry, academia and public administration.
The programme features four thematic panels that comprehensively analyse the contemporary use of unmanned systems in operational, technological and social dimensions. The focus will be on lessons from current armed conflicts, the real-world deployment of UAVs, UGVs and USVs, as well as conclusions on production scaling and multi-domain integration.
The event will conclude with the presentation of the ARMA Forum initiative — a project aimed at creating a permanent expert platform integrating Poland's unmanned systems community. Participants will also be invited to contribute to the strategic report "The Future of Unmanned Systems".
START
8:00 – 9:30
Registration and conference opening
The forum begins at 8:00 AM with participant registration at the entrance to the AMW Main Library. From 8:50 AM, entry will be via the upper entrance after collecting accreditation badges. The official opening of the conference takes place at 9:00 AM and features speeches by the organisers and invited guests.
Opening programme
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- Speech by a representative of KPH Group Sp. z o.o.
- Speech by a representative of the Polish Naval Academy
- Opening speeches, reading of a letter, VIP addresses, invited guests and patrons
PANEL 01
9:40 – 10:40
The war of unmanned systems: implementations, industry and multi-domain integration
The first panel of the forum is dedicated to analysing the real-world use of unmanned systems in modern armed conflicts. Experts will discuss insights from captured equipment analyses, compare Russian and Ukrainian approaches to deploying UAVs, UGVs and USVs, and look at the challenges of scaling up industrial production. The discussion will also focus on key technological trends — artificial intelligence, autonomy and the integration of multi-domain platforms.
Key topics
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1. Technological analysis of captured systems
- What actually reaches the battlefield (UAVs, UGVs, USVs, loitering munitions)?
- Findings from analyses of captured and neutralised units
- Design adaptations resulting from countermeasures (EW, anti-drone)
- Differences between declarations and real capabilities
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2. Russian implementations: scale, standardisation, integration
- Directions in development and modification of unmanned systems
- Integration with artillery, reconnaissance and electronic warfare systems
- Automation of detect–strike processes
- Degree of centralisation vs. improvisation
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3. Ukrainian implementations: innovation, adaptation, operational effectiveness
- Rapid deployment and testing model
- Integration of commercial components with military solutions
- Shortening the decision chain (sensor–shooter)
- The role of decentralisation and grassroots tech initiatives
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4. Production capabilities and industrial scaling
- Transition from workshop production to industrial mass production
- Financing, supply chains, critical components
- Technological bottlenecks (optoelectronics, engines, semiconductors)
- Does mass production beat quality?
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5. Key trends: AI, autonomy and multi-domain integration
- Autonomy vs. remote control — the real level of deployment
- AI in reconnaissance, navigation and targeting
- System-of-Systems: integration of air–land–sea
- Mass operator training vs. development of semi-autonomous systems
- Development directions for the next 2–5 years
PANEL 02
10:50 – 12:50
Multi-domain unmanned systems: reconnaissance, operations and integration of land – sea – air – space
The second panel focuses on the concept of multi-domain operations and information exchange between platforms operating in different environments. Participants will examine the role of UAVs, USVs and UGVs in reconnaissance and operations, as well as ways to integrate them into a single, coherent ecosystem. Both technological and doctrinal issues will be discussed — including the role of the Inspectorate of Unmanned Weapon Systems and the future of integrated, "swarm-like" operation of unmanned platforms.
Key topics
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1. Modern military and civilian drones in reconnaissance and patrols
- ISR in maritime, land and urban environments
- Patrolling critical infrastructure and coastal areas
- Dual-use: the boundary between civilian and military applications
- Integration with command and observation systems
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2. UAVs — air dominance in the unmanned dimension
- Tactical and operational aerial platforms
- Support for artillery and manoeuvre units
- Autonomy and semi-autonomy in flying systems
- Cooperation with land and naval systems
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3. USVs — the maritime unmanned domain
- Reconnaissance and monitoring of sea areas
- Protection of ports and offshore infrastructure
- Asymmetric operations and threat counteraction
- Integration with coastal and aerial systems
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4. UGVs — land-based operational and logistic support
- Reconnaissance and support of subunits
- Medical evacuation, transport, engineering support
- Combat systems vs. support systems
- Challenges in urban environments
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5. Domain integration: UAV–USV–UGV as a single operational system
- Common command and data-exchange architecture
- Network-centricity and interoperability
- The role of the Inspectorate of Unmanned Weapon Systems
- Development directions in the Polish Armed Forces
- Is the future an integrated "swarm" ecosystem?
PANEL 03
14:00 – 15:00
Shield against unmanned vehicles: counter-drone systems and protection of critical infrastructure
The third panel of the forum addresses the growing importance of C-UAS systems and the protection of critical infrastructure against threats from unmanned platforms. Experts will discuss the evolution of threats — from individual drones to swarm attacks — and the available methods of detection and neutralisation. The discussion will also cover layered defence architecture, integration with existing air defences and the role of artificial intelligence in automating the detect–react process.
Key topics
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1. Evolution of unmanned threats
- From a single UAV to swarm attacks
- Threats to critical infrastructure, ports and military bases
- Low-cost systems vs. advanced autonomous platforms
- Challenges of urban and maritime environments
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2. Detection and identification of threats
- Short-range radars, passive RF systems
- Optoelectronic systems and multi-sensor fusion
- Integration with command systems
- The challenge of small, low-flying objects
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3. Neutralisation: soft kill and hard kill
- Jamming communications and GNSS
- Taking over control
- Kinetic systems and energy effectors
- Cost of neutralisation vs. cost of the threat
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4. Integrated systems and layered architecture
- Point vs. area protection
- Integration with existing air defence
- Modularity and scalability of systems
- Automation of the detect–react process
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5. The future of C-UxS: AI and autonomy in defence
- Automatic threat classification
- Defence against swarms
- System-of-Systems in counter-action
- Legal and operational challenges
PANEL 04
15:10 – 16:10
The scale and meaning of the "drone revolution" in the social dimension
The fourth panel moves the discussion beyond the purely military sphere, focusing on the social and civilian dimension of unmanned systems development. Experts will discuss the importance of dual-use technologies, the daily use of drones by police, border guards and municipal services, and the relationship between humans and unmanned systems — from cognitive load to decision-making responsibility. The panel closes with a look at the directions of legislation development in Poland and the European Union.
Key topics
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1. Dual-use technologies
- Military technologies in civilian applications
- Use in precision agriculture and environmental monitoring
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2. Police, Border Guard, Municipal Police — daily operational use
- Border and infrastructure monitoring
- Patrolling and documenting incidents
- Use in crowd control and crisis situations
- Support for administration in monitoring land, agricultural damage and the environment
- Legal framework for the use of drones by services
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3. Humans in the unmanned system
- Cognitive load and decision-making responsibility
- Automation vs. human control
- Future competencies in the public sector
- Directions of legislation development in Poland and the EU
SUMMARY
16:20 – 16:35
Summary of AMW UAV Forum and presentation of the ARMA Forum idea
The conclusion of AMW UAV Forum is a summary of the day's key conclusions and the presentation of the ARMA Forum idea — an initiative aimed at creating a permanent expert platform integrating Poland's unmanned systems community. ARMA Forum, planned for September 2026 also at the Polish Naval Academy, will bring together experts in defence, shipbuilding, the maritime economy and politics for two days of discussions on the future of the defence and security industry. AMW UAV Forum participants will also be invited to co-create the strategic report "The Future of Unmanned Systems".
Scope of the summary
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1. Key conclusions from the debates
- The most important technological trends (AI, autonomy, integration)
- Conclusions on industry and production capabilities
- The role of multi-domain operations and system-of-systems
- The significance of counter-action and infrastructure protection
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2. Presentation of the ARMA Forum idea
- Goal: a permanent expert platform connecting the military, industry, science and services
- Integration of the unmanned systems community in Poland
- Building recommendations for decision-makers
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3. Invitation to co-create the publication
- Expert articles
- Operational case studies
- Doctrinal and industrial recommendations
- Strategic report: "The Future of Unmanned Systems"
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4. Schedule of further activities
- Deadline for submitting texts
- Editing and review
- Planned date of report publication
Join AMW UAV Forum
Registration is free of charge. Check out the full list of panelists and reserve your spot at the first edition of the Drone Forum.
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Panelists