Drones and Uncrewed Asia (DUCA) 2025

The Singapore Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) Community was proud to be a supporting partner of the Drones and Uncrewed Asia (DUCA) 2025, held from 9 to 10 April 2025 at the Sands Expo and Convention Centre. In its 3rd edition, the event was once again co-located with Geo Connect Asia, under the theme “Delivering Solutions for an Expanding Asian UAV Ecosystem.”

Initiated by AAIS in 2019 with the support of the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore (CAAS) and Enterprise Singapore, the Singapore UAS Community continues to champion the growth and development of our UAS sector. At DUCA 2025, the Sg UAS Community was actively involved in showcasing key industry resources, including the Singapore UAS Directory 2024/2025.

The event itself saw an increase in scale and activity, with a vibrant buzz across the exhibition halls. Visitors were drawn to dynamic displays and insightful sessions, from the main conference tracks to focused platforms like the Drone Innovation Stage. The drone exhibition footprint appeared larger than in previous editions, signalling growing momentum and continued interest in both the event and the broader sector. Community members also made a strong showing both on stage and across the exhibition floor.

Meanwhile, at the Geo Autonomy Summit, AAIS Chief Executive moderated a thought-provoking panel on “Free to Fly: Autonomy in Flight in a Changing World”. The session featured a panel of industry leaders including Ir Dr Shawn Lim, Chief, Global Solutions Office at Aerodyne Group; Dr David Cole, CEO of FlyFreely; and Mr Mark ter Hove, Senior Manager, AAM/IAM & UTM – Flight Operations and Safety at Viasat.

Setting the context, the panel shared updates on recent developments within their organisations and discussed real-world applications of autonomous and unmanned systems including infrastructure and asset monitoring, surveillance, emergency response support, and ship-to-shore deliveries. The conversation addressed the challenges of integrating autonomous flight into existing airspace, evolving regulatory frameworks, and the importance of public acceptance.

To support the ecosystem’s continued growth, the panel emphasised the need for regional regulatory harmonisation, enabling AAM and broader UAV operations across Asia. Positive developments were highlighted, including CAAS’ industry consultation on 2 April 2025 regarding the Asia-Pacific Reference Materials for AAM and UAS. Jointly developed by 24 Asia-Pacific states and administrations, this initiative aims to facilitate eVTOL and drone operations across the region, outlining key considerations for enabling complex drone operations, such as beyond-visual-line-of-sight (BVLOS) flights. CAAS had also issued a tender earlier in the year for the development of an Unmanned Aircraft Traffic Management System (UTMS) intended as a unified platform for real-time situational awareness, streamline approvals, and ensure safe integration and deconfliction between manned and unmanned aircraft in Singapore.

The session concluded with a call for continued collaboration and coordination among industry stakeholders, regulators, and academia to maintain momentum and unlock the full potential of unmanned and autonomous aviation in the region.

We congratulate Montgomery Asia on yet another elucidating edition of DUCA, and look forward to the next run from 31 Mar to 1 Apr 2026.

Singapore UAS Community at DUCA 2025: