SADEX Stand Design for SADEX 2026 in Riyadh

Exhibition stands for drone, UAS and autonomous-systems companies at SADEX 2026: safe, well-lit product displays, screens that explain what the hardware does, and meeting space for buyers and regulators. Designed, fabricated and installed by our team.

Compact quadcopter drone in flight against a blue sky, the kind of hardware exhibitors display on a SADEX stand

Get a Quote · Free 3D booth mockup

SADEX is the Saudi Drone and UAS Exhibition, and it has quickly become the main trade gathering for unmanned aviation in the Kingdom. For exhibitors, the challenge is specific: drones, ground robots and maritime vehicles are technical products that buyers want to see up close, understand quickly and discuss in private. Good SADEX stand design turns that hardware into a clear story on the show floor. The Concept WLL designs and builds exhibition stands for manufacturers, software and payload providers, service operators, training academies and technology distributors exhibiting in Riyadh.

According to the organiser, SADEX 2026 takes place from 9 to 11 November 2026 at the Riyadh International Convention and Exhibition Centre (RICEC). The organiser presents it as part of Saudi Autonomous Week, alongside the Saudi Unmanned Ground Vehicles Exhibition (Saudi UGV) and the Maritime Autonomous Vehicles Exhibition (MAVEX), with a UAS conference running in parallel. The organiser lists afternoon and evening opening hours, which matters for lighting, staffing and stand atmosphere. Always confirm dates, hall allocation and exhibitor rules on the official SADEX website and in the exhibitor manual.

We are an independent stand contractor working directly for exhibitors. We are not the organiser, an official contractor or a partner of SADEX or Saudi Autonomous Week.

What a drone and UAS stand has to do

Visitors at a drone exhibition are a mix of government buyers, energy and infrastructure operators, logistics companies, security agencies, agriculture specialists and investors. Most of them are not looking for a generic brand statement. They want to know what the aircraft or system does, what payloads it carries, how long it flies, how it is controlled and whether it fits their regulatory and operational needs. A SADEX exhibition stand should answer those questions in the order a visitor asks them.

That usually means one hero product shown at eye level, clear supporting screens that show the system working in the field, and a quieter area where technical teams can talk about specifications, certification and deployment. Everything else on the stand should support those three jobs.

Hero product displays

Plinths, suspended mounts and enclosed showcases sized for the actual aircraft or vehicle, with lighting that shows shape and detail without glare on carbon fibre, glass or matte surfaces.

Field footage that makes sense

Large LED or display screens for flight footage, mapping outputs, thermal imagery and control-station views. We plan screen positions so content can be seen from the aisle and from inside the stand.

Hands-on control stations

Counters for ground control software, simulators and payload demonstrations, with cable management, ventilation for equipment and space for a presenter and visitor side by side.

Private technical meetings

Semi-closed meeting rooms for conversations about specifications, pricing, security and export, which many buyers will not have in the open aisle.

Showing hardware safely on the stand

Drone and robotics exhibitors often bring valuable, delicate and sometimes heavy equipment. Indoor flight is normally restricted at exhibitions, so the stand has to make static hardware feel alive through lighting, motion graphics and well-planned demonstrations. Where the organiser permits a netted or caged demonstration area, the rules come from the exhibitor manual and the venue, and we design to them rather than assume.

Secure showcases

Acrylic or glass enclosures with lockable access for smaller aircraft, sensors and payloads, so products can stay on show without constant supervision.

Load-rated plinths and mounts

Structures designed for the weight and footprint of larger fixed-wing aircraft, VTOL systems or ground vehicles, with protective edges and clear visitor distances.

Suspended displays

Where hall rules and rigging points allow, aircraft can be shown overhead as a brand marker visible across the hall. We check rigging limits and approvals in advance.

Demonstration zones

If netted demonstrations are permitted, we plan the structure, sight lines and visitor management to the organiser's requirements and your operations team's procedures.

Stand types for SADEX and Saudi Autonomous Week

SADEX exhibitors range from start-ups and regional distributors to large international manufacturers and national entities. We design to the space and budget you have booked, from a strong shell-scheme upgrade to a large island stand.

Shell scheme upgrades

Custom graphics, a branded counter, a product plinth, lighting and a screen within a shell space. A practical option for first-time exhibitors and smaller technology firms.

Custom stands on raw space

Built from the floor up with flooring, walls, joinery, storage, lighting, product displays and meeting areas. The usual choice for established manufacturers.

Island stands

Open on all sides, with multiple product zones, overhead branding and a central meeting core. Suited to companies showing several aircraft or a full system portfolio.

Pavilions and shared stands

Country or association pavilions with individual exhibitor pods and a shared reception and meeting area. Our country pavilion page explains how we plan these.

Fabrication, lighting and AV

Technical audiences look closely at finishes. Counters get leaned on, showcases get inspected and screens get photographed. Our stand fabrication covers joinery, metalwork, acrylic, printed and illuminated graphics, flooring and integrated technical fit-out, with materials chosen to look clean under exhibition lighting and on camera.

Because SADEX opens in the afternoon and runs into the evening, lighting does a lot of work. We plan architectural lighting that keeps the stand bright and inviting, product lighting that brings out shape and detail, and screen positions that avoid reflections. Power and data are designed into the stand from the first drawing: we list every display, charging point, control station and showcase light, then size the electrical order you place with the organiser so nothing is short on opening day.

For companies exhibiting across more than one show in the region, we can design a reusable core structure with changeable graphics, so the same stand works at other technology, defence or aviation events later in the year.

Planning around the November 2026 dates

With SADEX opening on 9 November 2026, the planning window for a custom stand is short. As a guide, you need a confirmed space, a brief and a first 3D concept several weeks before build-up, so there is time for revisions, organiser drawing approval and fabrication. Shell scheme upgrades and compact stands can move faster.

We work from the 2026 exhibitor manual for build-up and breakdown times, height limits, rigging, floor loading, fire-safety requirements and drawing deadlines. Some exhibitors also bring export-controlled or sensitive equipment; customs, permits and security arrangements for that equipment remain your responsibility and the organiser's, but we plan the stand around the delivery and handover times you confirm. If you are hosting a press briefing, product launch or evening reception during Saudi Autonomous Week, we can plan that production in parallel.

What our SADEX stand service includes

How we deliver your SADEX stand

Brief

You share the floor plan, stand type, products, sizes and weights of hardware, demonstrations and meeting needs.

Concept and 3D

We send a free 3D concept and refine it with your marketing, engineering and events teams.

Fabrication

The stand is built and pre-assembled where needed, with showcases, screens and lighting tested before it ships.

Installation

Our crew assembles the stand at RICEC during build-up and checks every light, screen and socket before your products arrive.

On-site support

A team member is available during the show for small fixes, cable issues and graphic changes.

Dismantling

We take the stand down in the breakdown window and store reusable parts if you plan to exhibit again.

SADEX stand design FAQs

When and where is SADEX 2026?

The organiser lists 9 to 11 November 2026 at the Riyadh International Convention and Exhibition Centre (RICEC), as part of Saudi Autonomous Week with Saudi UGV and MAVEX. Check the official SADEX website for any changes.

Are you an official SADEX contractor?

No. We are an independent stand designer and builder working directly for exhibitors. We follow the organiser's exhibitor manual and submit the drawings and documents it asks for.

Can we fly drones on our stand?

That depends entirely on the organiser and venue rules. Indoor flight is usually restricted. If a netted demonstration is permitted, we design the area to those rules; otherwise we make static displays work through lighting, mounts and screens.

Can you display large aircraft or ground vehicles?

Yes. Send us the dimensions and weights early. We design load-rated plinths, protective barriers and, where rigging is allowed, suspended mounts.

How early should we start planning?

As soon as you have a confirmed space. A brief and first concept several weeks before build-up leaves time for changes, approvals and fabrication.

Do you also build stands for Saudi UGV and MAVEX?

Yes. The design and build service is the same for exhibitors at any of the co-located Saudi Autonomous Week shows.

How do we get a quote?

Send us your floor plan, stand size and a short brief using the quote form. We reply with questions, then a free 3D concept and a detailed quotation.

Related pages

Photo: Pexels