IDEX 2027 Video Guide: How Defence Exhibitors Should Film Their Stand

IDEX 2027 at a glance

IDEX is held every two years at ADNEC Centre Abu Dhabi, alongside NAVDEX, the naval defence exhibition. It is organised by ADNEC Group with the UAE Ministry of Defence and Tawazun Council.

• Show dates25–29 January 2027
• VenueADNEC Centre Abu Dhabi
• 2025 exhibitors1,565 companies from 65 countries
• 2025 visitors206,000+ from 167 countries

Dates from the official IDEX site. 2025 figures from the organiser’s closing report. Always confirm hours and your hall with the organiser.

In 2025, deals worth AED 25.15 billion were announced during the show, and official delegations from around the world visited stands every day. For exhibitors, that means a lot of high-value moments in five days, and a short window to capture them.

Approvals come first, the camera second

At most trade shows, the question is what would look good on camera. At IDEX, the first question is what you are allowed to show. Products, screens, specifications and even some visitors may be off limits. Sorting this out early is what makes filming on the day smooth.

1. Make a filming list. Your communications team lists which products, models, screens and displays can be filmed, and which cannot. Share it with the crew in writing.
2. Check with compliance. If your products are subject to export controls or customer confidentiality, your compliance team should confirm what footage and information can be published, and in which markets.
3. Clear the people. Agree in advance which of your executives and specialists will appear. For visitors and delegations, film only with their agreement and within the organiser’s rules.
4. Prepare approved screen content. Displays on your stand will appear in wide shots. Make sure what is playing is cleared for public release.
5. Agree an approval process. Decide who signs off each edit and how fast. Same-day social posts only work if someone is available to approve them on the day.

Six videos defence exhibitors should film at IDEX

Defence buyers are governments, armed forces, procurement agencies and prime contractors. Your videos should build credibility with them and with partners, not just show the stand. For a general list that works at any show, see our exhibition stand video guide.

• Stand and capability film

  A polished film of your stand and approved products, filmed before doors open, for your website and partner presentations.

• Executive interviews

  Your leaders on your strategy, partnerships and presence in the region, filmed on the stand or in a quiet meeting room.

• Signings and announcements

  Agreements and contracts announced on your stand, filmed from two angles for press releases and LinkedIn.

• Delegation visits

  Official visits to your stand, filmed only where the organiser and the delegation allow it.

• Approved product presentations

  Your specialists presenting cleared systems, using only information approved for release.

• Daily highlight edits

  Short, approved clips of the busy stand and key moments, posted while IDEX is still on.

A five-day IDEX filming plan

Few exhibitors need a crew every day. This plan shows where each video fits, so you can choose the days that matter most.

Signings and delegation visits are often confirmed at short notice. Share your programme with the crew daily, and keep the crew close to the stand at the times they are most likely.

Filming at NAVDEX

NAVDEX runs alongside IDEX, with vessels and maritime systems displayed on the water. In 2025, naval fleets from eight nations took part, and vessels were displayed at ADNEC Marina and Zayed Port.

• Plan for the outdoors. Marina filming means bright sun, reflections off the water and wind on microphones. Ask your crew to bring filters and wind protection.
• Film early. Morning light is softer and the quay is quieter before the main crowds arrive.
• Check access rules. Boarding vessels and filming on the quay may need separate permission. Confirm with the organiser and the vessel’s team before the day.
• Allow travel time. If your stand is in the halls and your vessel is at a separate location, plan separate filming slots, or two crews.

For vessel and shipyard filming outside show week, see our naval defence video production page.

Crew, passes and travel

1. Register crew passes early. Defence shows run stricter security than most exhibitions. Add crew names through the exhibitor portal well before the deadline, and allow for any security checks.
2. Read the exhibitor manual. Check the rules on filming, lighting, drones and power on your stand, and share them with your crew.
3. Plan for Abu Dhabi. If your crew is based in Dubai, multi-day coverage usually means staying in Abu Dhabi so they are on site each morning before doors open.
4. Book early. January is a busy month for events in the UAE, and experienced crews for defence shows are limited. Confirm your crew by early December.
5. Reserve space on the stand. Ask your stand builder for a power socket and a lockable corner for equipment.

Using your IDEX footage after the show

Defence sales cycles are long, so IDEX footage keeps working for months.

1. Publish announcements fast. Agree that signing and announcement clips are edited and approved first, so press and LinkedIn posts go out the same day.
2. Brief partners. A short capability film helps your partners and representatives in other countries present your company consistently.
3. Support tenders. Approved footage of your stand and leadership adds credibility to proposals and pre-qualification documents.
4. Add Arabic and English subtitles. IDEX audiences are international. Subtitles let the same video work across the region.
5. Plan for the next edition. IDEX is held every two years. Footage from 2027 can promote your presence at future shows, including other defence events in the region.

If you also exhibit at other security and aerospace shows, see our pages for Dubai Airshow and World Police Summit.

IDEX 2027 video checklist

• Confirm hall and stand number (25–29 January)
• Agree the filming list with communications and compliance
• Clear screen content and who appears on camera
• Book the crew by early December
• Register crew passes in the exhibitor portal
• Share your programme: signings, visits, presentations
• Name who approves each edit, and how fast

Need a crew? See our IDEX video production service, or request a quote for your IDEX stand. For other shows, see exhibition and trade show videography.

IDEX video FAQs