In 1967, the Consumer Technology Association (CTA), the largest standards and technology trade association in the United States, held the inaugural Consumer Electronics Show (CES). The exposition took place at the Hilton and Americana hotels in New York City, NY. Over the course of 4 days, 17,500 visitors had the opportunity to be amazed by 200 vendors exhibiting up-and-coming technology, including a presentation by Bob Galvin, son of the founder of Motorola and the company’s CEO at the time.

Since then, CES has only grown in popularity, becoming one of the largest and most influential technology trade shows worldwide. After experimenting with different locations and date formats, CTA settled on presenting the event annually from Las Vegas, NV, starting in 1998. The annual CES has introduced the world to some of the technology that has shaped generations. Innovations such as the first home VCR, iterations of home computers, the first CD player, home video game systems, and much more are just some of the products brought to mainstream attention at CES.

As the drone industry began to move beyond the world of hobby and military use, CES was at the forefront of showcasing how drones can be used by everyday people. At the 2010 CES, Parrot displayed their AR Drone, a general consumer drone with video imaging capabilities that could be controlled through an app on a smartphone or tablet. Post-pandemic, CES events began to feature entire categories dedicated to exhibitors and workshops for drone technology. CES 2025 took place from January 7th to 10th, with an estimated 140,000 visitors flocking to experience the technology that would shape the year ahead.

More than 4,000 exhibitors had the opportunity to introduce their latest products, several of which were drone companies. A few examples of drone exhibitors at CES 2025 included Wisson Robotics, Pablo Air, and HAGAMOSphere. Each of these companies displayed unique drone concepts, all of which have real-world applications. Wisson Robotics revealed their Pliabot drone system—drones with movable arms that allow them a wide range of motion and control. For example, a drone equipped with Pliabot technology can be used to clean buildings or solar panels more efficiently than a drone with a fixed sprayer.

Pablo Air was on hand to showcase its range of AI-enabled drones that can safely be flown in swarms. These drones have applications in everything from delivery to law enforcement, but the star of Pablo Air’s products is the PabloX F40 drone for aerial entertainment. This small drone is controlled through AI swarm technology and has LED lights that allow it to perform dramatic light shows. What sets this drone apart from similar products is that it can also be mounted with fireworks for an even more spectacular show.

Meanwhile, HAGAMOSphere, a collaboration between a professor from Japan’s University of Tokushima and DIC Group, a fine chemicals company, was awarded the CES Innovation Award 2025 Honoree in recognition of the drone’s innovative design and use platform.

As explained on the product’s website, HAGAMOSphere “is a spherical drone with eight propellers mounted on a cubic frame, allowing it to move both horizontally and vertically while maintaining balance. It is also designed to rotate on the ground by housing itself inside a geometrically shaped sphere guard.” The drone is dual-use, functioning both in the air and on the ground. The drone’s creators envision it being used in search and rescue, disaster response, racing, and much more.

Whether it’s the latest in computers, mobility, AI, or drones, CES is the ultimate event to discover tomorrow’s technology. “CES is where innovation comes to life,” said Gary Shapiro, CEO and Vice Chair of CTA and the owner and producer of CES. “From the largest companies to trailblazing startups, the entire tech ecosystem is at the show. CES is the stage for groundbreaking product launches, transformative partnerships, and serendipitous business moments that define the future of technology.” With another successful year completed, CTA and CES are already gearing up for the January 6–9 CES 2026 at the Las Vegas Convention Center.

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