May 19 – 22 | Education May 20 – 22 | Exhibits Houston, TX | George R. Brown Convention Center
Inside Unmanned Systems proudly presents the inaugural Innovation Vanguard Awards (IVA)—a dynamic new program honoring excellence in autonomous and unmanned technologies. As the unmanned systems landscape rapidly evolves, IVA was established to spotlight the groundbreaking achievements, game-changing deployments, and visionary thinking redefining industries around the world.
The awards recognize the pioneering spirit driving innovation across the air, ground, and maritime domains. From revolutionary platforms and sensor systems to real-world deployments transforming inspection, emergency services, logistics, and defense, IVA celebrates both technological excellence and the broader impact of unmanned systems on end-user communities.
The Innovation Vanguard Awards reflect a decade of industry insight and thought leadership. Drawing from its global perspective and deep editorial coverage, Inside Unmanned Systems saw the need for a formal platform to elevate the individuals, companies, and collaborations making measurable contributions to our field.
IVA also underscores a pivotal moment in the sector’s evolution—where technical readiness, market maturity, and strategic investment are converging to make unmanned systems not just viable, but essential across commercial, civil and defense sectors alike.
The live Innovation Vanguard Awards ceremony is taking place on May 22 at XPONENTIAL, and all finalists will be featured in a special 10th Anniversary issue of Inside Unmanned Systems, IUS-X: Perspectives 2025 - From Innovation to Integration which will be distributed onsite.
Industry professionals are encouraged to attend the ceremony to celebrate the innovators reshaping our future. The Innovation Vanguard Awards are more than a recognition—they are a call to spotlight and accelerate the very best in unmanned systems innovation.
For nomination details, visit insideunmannedsystems.com.