Future Drone Applications in Focus During Four Themed Days

Drone

15 Jun 2026

During Society Expo 2026, Skellefteå Droneport opened its doors for four themed days focused on how drones can contribute to societal development, innovation, and sustainable solutions. Visitors from across society gathered to take part in inspiring presentations, gain new perspectives, and engage in valuable discussions around a technology that is rapidly becoming an increasingly important part of everyday life.

“It’s fantastic to see the level of engagement and interest our themed days have generated. Visitors have been curious, asked many questions, and contributed to insightful discussions. Equally valuable have been the meetings between people from different sectors. For us, it was important to create an arena where knowledge, experiences, and ideas could be shared, and I truly believe we achieved that,” says Henrik Littorin, Program Manager at Arctic Aviation Hub.

Society Expo is one of Sweden’s largest initiatives focused on societal development and serves as a meeting place for people, ideas, and innovation. Over the course of two weeks, the city of Skellefteå was filled with activities, seminars, and experiences showcasing both today’s solutions and tomorrow’s possibilities.

As part of the program, Skellefteå Droneport hosted four themed days where participants could explore different applications of drone technology in greater depth. At Skellefteå Droneport, a testing environment for companies, researchers, and public sector organizations, a natural meeting place was created for knowledge exchange, dialogue, and new collaborations.

Around 100 participants from industry, the public sector, academia, and civil society attended the events. In addition to presentations, discussions, and networking opportunities, participants were able to watch live drone flights and demonstrations on site. The combination of theory and practical demonstrations provided a tangible understanding of how the technology is being used today and the opportunities it offers for the future.

A common theme throughout all four days was how new technologies can contribute to a more sustainable, efficient, and resilient society. Whether the focus was on public services, forestry and agriculture, total defence, or future transportation systems, it became clear that drone technology has an important role to play in shaping the solutions of tomorrow.

Voices from the Themed Days

Themed Days at Skellefteå Droneport During Society Expo

Drones in Public Services

A day dedicated to municipalities, government agencies, and other public sector organizations, focusing on how drones can be used to support public services. Participants explored experiences, opportunities, and challenges related to the implementation of drone technology and discussed the skills and digital tools needed for the future.

Drones in Forestry and Agriculture

Seminars and networking sessions focused on how drone based solutions can contribute to more efficient and sustainable management of land, forests, and natural resources. The day highlighted both current applications and future development opportunities.

Drones for the Future of Transportation

A day focused on how drones can become part of future safe and resilient transportation systems. Through inspiring presentations, participants gained insights into ongoing developments as well as future opportunities within the field.

Drones in Total Defence

A day highlighting how drone technology can be used to address societal challenges and create value across multiple sectors. Visitors met organizations actively working with the technology and learned from real world examples and use cases.

About Arctic Aviation Hub

Skellefteå Science City accelerates innovation by bringing together stakeholders to develop new solutions that create societal value. Within the field of sustainable aviation, we lead Arctic Aviation Hub, a development program focused on testing, development, and commercialization of future aviation technologies.

Skellefteå Droneport is an initiative within Arctic Aviation Hub, operated by Skellefteå Science City in close collaboration with Skellefteå Airport and supported by the Municipality of Skellefteå, Skellefteå Kraft, and Skellefteå Airport.

Interested in Arctic Aviation Hub? Contact:

Program Manager

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