AUVSI's Annual Hill Day Brings Together More Than 100 Industry Leaders for 90+ Meetings on Capitol Hill

AUVSI Hill Day 2026. Courtesy of AUVSI

Day of advocacy featured fireside chats with Rep. Eugene Vindman and Sen. Elissa Slotkin

ARLINGTON, VA, UNITED STATES, June 25, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ -- The Association for Uncrewed Vehicle Systems International (AUVSI) hosted its annual Hill Day today, drawing more than 100 representatives from member companies across the industry to Capitol Hill for more than over 90 meetings with Members of Congress and their staff. The day-long advocacy event focused on the policy priorities shaping the future of the robotics and autonomous systems industry.

Attendees met with lawmakers and staff from both parties to discuss the issues most critical to the industry's continued growth, including industrial base policy, airspace integration and Beyond Visual Line of Sight (BVLOS) operations, counter-UAS authorities, enhanced procurement strategies and more. The meetings reflect AUVSI's ongoing effort to ensure policymakers understand the economic and national security stakes tied to U.S. leadership in autonomy.

"Hill Day is one of the most important days on our calendar each year," said Michael Robbins, President and CEO of AUVSI. "When more than 100 industry leaders show up on Capitol Hill in a single day, it sends an unmistakable signal to Congress about the scale and seriousness of this industry. These conversations are how we turn policy priorities into action and progress."

The day's meetings were bookended by two fireside chat discussions.

The morning session featured a conversation between Congressman Eugene Vindman (D-VA) and Robbins, touching on the intersection of national security, defense innovation and the role of uncrewed systems in modern military readiness. "Drones have already reshaped the modern battlefield," said Rep. Vindman. "But the U.S. is way behind on fielding drones. As a 25-year Army veteran representing more than 36,000 service members, I'm laser focused on making sure our troops have low-cost, easy to use, attritable drones for the next fight. We need to build and acquire these at scale, while making sure our warfighters know how to use them well. I will continue to push for action with the urgency our military needs."

At midday, Robbins was joined by Senator Elissa Slotkin (D-MI) for a fireside chat exploring how Congress can support innovation in the autonomy sector while addressing shared priorities around security and domestic manufacturing.

Hill Day is part of AUVSI's broader advocacy program, which works year-round to advance policies that support the safe and responsible growth of uncrewed and autonomous technologies across the air, ground, maritime and cybersecurity domains.

About AUVSI
The Association for Uncrewed Vehicle Systems International (AUVSI) is the world's largest nonprofit organization dedicated to the advancement of uncrewed systems and robotics. AUVSI represents corporations and professionals from more than 60 countries involved in the defense, civil, and commercial markets.

Nicole Sanders
AUVSI
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