AI drone swarm: Sirbai enters defence technology at UMEX 2026

With AI-enabled autonomous drone swarm technology – according to the company the first in the Middle East – Sirbai officially announced its market entry at the Unmanned Systems Exhibition & Conference 2026 (UMEX 2026). At the same time, the company is entering the field of defence technology. The platform was developed for unmanned aircraft systems (UAS): it is intended to let multiple drones cooperate largely autonomously, even in complex, contested environments.

Sirbai is backed by more than 40 engineers with backgrounds in robotics, autonomy and AI. Its foundation is advanced research in Abu Dhabi, including capabilities originating from the Technology Innovation Institute (TII). With practical, AI-enabled autonomous swarm technology, Sirbai aims to help advance defence systems. This is to be made possible by a software-first model and a technology stack developed entirely in-house: capabilities can be developed rapidly, a high level of security is guaranteed, and operations remain flexible across numerous environments.

The launch of Sirbai's next-generation swarm technology is an important milestone for the region's defence technology ecosystem. By combining advanced AI with autonomous drone operations, Sirbai is setting a new benchmark for resilient, operator-centric mission systems. TII is proud to support this achievement, which reflects our shared commitment to delivering advanced technologies that strengthen national security and enhance defence capabilities worldwide.— Najwa Aaraj, Chief Executive Officer at TII

Commanding the drone swarm from one platform

The new system promises a scalable and easy-to-use approach to autonomous swarm operations. The range of supported defence missions extends from surveillance and protection tasks to advanced crewed-uncrewed teaming operations. AI-driven mission planning, distributed decision-making and real-time coordination are integrated; this reduces the burden on operators and makes deployment more effective and resilient.

The modular end-to-end system combines mission planning, command issuance and swarm execution in a single platform. This shortens decision cycles and allows drone fleets to be controlled with a reduced cognitive load.

Sirbai closes the gap between human intent and autonomous mission execution and enables seamless coordination between crewed and uncrewed systems. Our platform ensures robust autonomy, a continuous flow of information and agile responses in rapidly changing and demanding environments. By maintaining the connection and collaboration between operators and autonomous assets, Sirbai provides the reliability and operational advantage that modern missions require.— Dario Albani, Chief Technology Officer at Sirbai

From tactical drones to UCAVs

Development focused on operational effect and future scalability. The technology can be integrated seamlessly into numerous platforms – from small tactical drones to advanced unmanned combat aerial vehicles (UCAVs). The system is designed for contested environments and areas without GPS reception: thanks to robust navigation, coordinated swarm operations continue even when there is interference or degraded connectivity, and the operator retains oversight where necessary.