Advancing Rapid Defense Innovation Symposium (ARDIS)
- Date
- 2026-09-15
- Location
- Kerr McGee Center, Ridgecrest, California, US
- Host
- Kerr McGee Center
About this event
Join us at ARDIS where we'll dive into cutting-edge technologies and strategies to advance rapid defense innovation!
Who should attend
If you work on getting defense-relevant technology out of the lab and into real-world use, this room is built for you. - **You’re developing autonomous systems** for maritime, ground, or aerial environments and want sharper insight into where rapid defense innovation is heading. - **You’re focused on collision avoidance, autonomy, or operational safety** and want to compare approaches, challenges, and practical considerations with others solving similar problems. - **You’re working in counter-unmanned aerial systems** and need a better view of emerging capabilities, gaps, and the broader ecosystem around detection, response, and integration. - **You’re part of a defense, government, or mission-driven technical team** looking for technologies that can move quickly from concept to fieldable capability. - **You’re a founder, engineer, program lead, researcher, or operator** who wants substantive conversations with people building and evaluating unmanned aerial vehicles, autonomous trucking, and autonomous maritime systems. - **You want in-person access to serious practitioners** in Ridgecrest who care about speed, technical rigor, and real deployment constraints—not just high-level talk.