MUSCAT: The activities of the Third International Conference on Unmanned Vehicle Systems (UVS-Oman 2026) commenced on Tuesday at Sultan Qaboos University (SQU). The opening of the conference was held under the auspices of Shaikh Dr Ali bin Masoud al Sunaidy, Adviser at the Diwan of Royal Court.
In his opening speech, Dr Nabil bin Zahran al Rawahi, Dean of the College of Engineering, explained that the third edition of the conference has expanded to include interactive educational workshops focusing on key industrial applications, alongside dedicated competitions for school and university students designed to refine their skills and qualify them to work with the associated technologies in this field.
Dr Hadj Bourdoucen delivered the conference committee's speech, noting that the global market for aerial, land, and maritime unmanned vehicles is experiencing increasing expansion due to the need for smarter and more efficient solutions. He clarified that these technologies face significant challenges, including enhancing security and surveillance, developing collision avoidance capabilities, improving reliable communication in complex environments, and increasing operational capacity and endurance.
The conference activities will span three consecutive days, beginning with three specialised workshops addressing core pillars in the development and application of unmanned systems. The first workshop focuses on the evolution of drones, artificial intelligence and sensing technologies, specifically regarding inspection applications in the oil and gas sectors. The second workshop addresses robust motion control for autonomous underwater vehicles, while the third discusses counter-drone systems in terms of technologies, operations and case studies.
The conference features two main keynote presentations. The first addresses changing cybersecurity requirements in the era of autonomous systems and the progress towards reaching Level 5 autonomy (full automation). The second keynote covers the design, control and applications of bio-inspired aircraft. - ONA
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