PAvCon Europe is the annual conference and exhibition for the public safety aviation community, gathering law enforcement air units, emergency service providers and industry suppliers from across Europe and beyond. The 20th edition took place 27-29 May 2026 at La Axarquia airfield, Malaga, Spain, hosted by World Aviation Aerial Services. The next edition in 2027 is in planning.
PAvCon Europe (Police Aviation Conference Europe) is a dedicated annual event for professionals in public safety aviation. It combines a one-day training day, a two-day conference and exhibition, and sponsored networking sessions. The event rotates across European locations each year to maximise accessibility. Organisers are attendees from the policing and public safety aviation community who run it on a not-for-profit basis. The 2026 edition was the 20th European Police Aviation Conference, marking two decades of continuous activity.
PAvCon Europe evolved from the PAN/PAvCon format (Police Aviation News / Police Aviation Conference), originally hosted under the Shephard Media umbrella. Over time, the event became fully community-owned and independent, rebranded as PAvCon Europe, and developed beyond a purely European scope to attract participants from North America, the Middle East and Australasia. The original purpose remains unchanged: a platform for police aviation professionals to share knowledge, evaluate new equipment and build professional networks in an informal operational setting.
The 20th PAvCon Europe took place 27-29 May 2026 at La Axarquia airfield (Aeropuerto de la Axarquia), a small working airfield inland from the Costa del Sol, east of Malaga. The venue was hosted by World Aviation Aerial Services. The training day on 27 May drew record attendance, with law enforcement personnel from more than 15 countries. PAvCon's own Harald Brink (Tactics and TFO Instructor) led training alongside Kevin Saxton (Teledyne FLIR Defence). Thursday and Friday featured the main conference and exhibition, with leading companies displaying manned and unmanned aircraft, airborne sensors, mission systems and communications equipment. Organiser reports describe this as the best networking event in PAvCon history. It was the third time PAvCon has been held in Spain, following 2011 and 2023.
PAvCon Europe fills a unique niche as the only annual event exclusively focused on law enforcement aviation. It is complementary to broader shows such as DSEI, Milipol and Enforce Tac, none of which offer the same depth of police aviation content or the informal operational atmosphere of a working airfield setting. Its spring timing (typically May) sits between the major biennial defence exhibitions and provides a natural procurement reference point for European police aviation units.
The core audience is operational: helicopter pilots, tactical flight officers (TFOs), mission systems operators, air unit commanders and senior police aviation managers from European law enforcement agencies. Emergency medical services and coast guard aviation units also attend. On the industry side, exhibitors include airframe manufacturers and maintainers, airborne sensor and camera suppliers, mission management software providers, communications specialists, drone manufacturers, and training providers. Major sponsors at the 2026 edition included Airbus Helicopters, Leonardo and FlySight.
Training day (day 1). A dedicated practitioner-only session covering crew training, tactics and technology. The 2026 training day was record-attended and focused on crew training and technology information, including a FLIR systems application engineering session.
Conference and exhibition (days 2-3). Presentations and panel discussions on operational topics, UAV integration, surveillance technology, equipment updates and safety procedures. Exhibition stands from manufacturers and service providers line the event space at the host airfield.
Sponsored social programme. An evening meal on day one, drinks receptions and informal networking throughout the event. The social programme is a deliberately prominent feature; the organiser describes it as "networking at its best and where friends are made."
Core subject areas include:
| Countries represented (training day) | 15+ |
| Conference edition number | 20th |
| Host organisation | World Aviation Aerial Services |
| Key sponsors | Airbus Helicopters, Leonardo, FlySight |
| Next edition year | 2027 (location TBC) |
Both are welcome. The training day is primarily for law enforcement personnel in operational roles. The conference and exhibition on days 2 and 3 is open to industry exhibitors, suppliers, researchers and other stakeholders with a professional interest in police aviation.
It is held annually, typically in May. The location rotates across Europe each year, which the organiser uses to broaden geographic participation.
No. PAvCon Europe is an independent, community-run event. It has no official link to any single police service or government body, though it works closely with police air units across Europe and draws support from major law enforcement aviation organisations.
The 2026 edition was hosted at Aeropuerto de la Axarquia, a small general aviation airfield located inland from the Costa del Sol, in the municipality of Velez-Malaga, roughly 30 km east of Malaga city. The airfield is operated by World Aviation Aerial Services, which provided full logistical support to PAvCon for the event. Its working operational character provided an authentic setting for aviation demonstrations. Costa del Sol beachfront hotels were widely used by delegates, offering convenient proximity to both the venue and the social programme (the sponsored evening meal was held at a seafront restaurant).
PAvCon Europe is an independent, non-profit organisation run by a small team drawn from the police and public safety aviation community. It evolved from the Police Aviation Conference formerly published under the Shephard Media brand, and has been fully community-owned since its rebranding. The organisation's primary objective is to facilitate knowledge exchange and professional networking for the law enforcement aviation community. Contact and team information are available at pavconeurope.eu. No revenue or staffing figures are publicly disclosed.
PAvCon Europe's 20th edition confirmed that the formula of a working airfield, a practitioner-led training day and an unashamedly social format is commercially resilient and operationally irreplaceable for European police aviation.
Registration details for the 2027 edition are not yet published (as of 10 June 2026). The organiser states that once the 2027 location is confirmed, details will be announced on pavconeurope.eu with maximum lead time for delegates to plan budgets. Previous editions have involved delegate fees; exact pricing is not disclosed publicly. Follow the official website and the Hangar Z podcast (co-hosted by PAvCon's Harald Brink) for announcements.
Monitor pavconeurope.eu and the PAvCon Facebook page (facebook.com/PoliceAviationConferenceEurope). The organiser gives as much advance notice as possible to allow delegates to arrange travel and budget approval.
No. Delegates arrange their own accommodation. For 2026, organisers suggested Costa del Sol beachfront hotels as a convenient and relaxing option, given the airfield's location inland near Malaga.
Yes. Exhibitor and sponsorship opportunities are available. Contact the organiser via the contact form at pavconeurope.eu. Sponsors at the 2026 edition included Airbus Helicopters, Leonardo, FlySight and Air-Attack.
| Official website | https://www.pavconeurope.eu/ |
| not disclosed | |
| X | not disclosed |
| https://www.facebook.com/PoliceAviationConferenceEurope/ | |
| Register | https://www.pavconeurope.eu/ (2027 registration not yet open) |
| Programme | not disclosed (2027 TBC) |