Drones, robot dogs and unmanned vehicles take center stage at civil-military expo

South Korean defense companies Korea Defense Industry (KDI), LIG D&A and Hanwha Aerospace showcased drones, quadruped robots and multipurpose unmanned ground vehicles at a major industry expo, signaling that competition in unmanned systems development has entered full swing.

The 2026 Unmanned Systems and Civil-Military Cooperation Expo, held at COEX in Seoul, wrapped up its three-day run on Thursday.

Some 80 domestic and foreign companies participated, filling 150 exhibition booths. The expo, which launched in 2018 as a dedicated unmanned vehicle event, expanded this year to cover civil-military cooperation. The exhibition floor featured drones, unmanned ground vehicles and quadruped robots alongside counter-drone systems, defense AI, communications and navigation equipment, and a range of sensors.

KDI unveiled an attack and reconnaissance drone lineup operable from squad to battalion level. The reconnaissance variant identifies targets using electro-optical and infrared sensors, while the attack variant carries a self-produced warhead and fuze for direct-impact strikes. Both share the same platform, with the mission role switched simply by swapping the payload.

A low-cost GPS-guided loitering munition can be operated in groups of four simultaneously, with plans to scale up to mass production of 20 to 30 units and pursue AI-based swarm operations in the future.

KDI is an ammunition specialist that has produced Chunmoo rocket warheads and fuzes for 155mm artillery and mortar rounds, and the company is leveraging that expertise as a core competitive advantage in drone development.

"Fielding drones at the battalion level and below is our immediate priority," a KDI official said. "After 2030, we plan to expand into advanced weapons systems including AI swarms."

LIG D&A displayed the Vision 60, a quadruped robot developed after the company acquired US firm Ghost Robotics.

The Vision 60 is a military robot co-developed with the US Air Force, built for mobility and durability in extreme environments. It is currently deployed for surveillance and reconnaissance missions.

The company is also working to equip the robot with intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance gear — including night-vision and radio-frequency detection equipment — as well as offensive weapons such as rifles and grenade launchers. A live demonstration of armed configurations is planned for a drone technology showcase at Seungjin Training Ground on Sept. 7.

Non-lethal weapons systems and AI swarm operation technology are also under development.

"The primary purpose of its development is to take on risks in place of soldiers," a LIG official said.

Hanwha Aerospace announced that its multipurpose unmanned ground vehicle, the Arion SMET, has been selected as a domestic UGV program contractor.

The company highlighted the vehicle's zero-failure record throughout the evaluation process as a key strength.

The Arion SMET runs on a fully electric drivetrain and features automatic follow-me functions that allow it to trail soldiers or a lead vehicle. Swapping mission equipment enables it to perform a range of tasks including fire support, communications relay and surveillance and reconnaissance.

A diesel-hybrid variant called the Grunt, developed for export markets, offers extended range and greater payload capacity, with an added capability to recharge external military equipment. The vehicle recently took part in a joint combat exercise with the Romanian military, where it carried out remote armed surveillance and reconnaissance missions and drew praise from Romanian troops.

The company plans to leverage its domestic operational experience to expand exports while integrating AI-based surveillance and autonomous driving technology into its vehicles.

The expo made clear that South Korean defense firms are broadening their reach across drones, robots and unmanned ground vehicles — drawing on homegrown technology to extend into diverse mission roles spanning attack, reconnaissance and logistics.