( CNN ) -- Every other year in July , the small town of Farnborough in South East England hosts the biggest names in the aviation world . Exhibitors and visitors mingle with the latest technology to hit the skies . Below , UK Editor-in-Chief of Royal Aeronautical Society 's Aerospace magazine , Tim Robinson highlights the themes and big players to watch out for at this year 's Farnborough International Airshow . Touch and go as F-35 aims for international début . Costly white elephant , or next-generation , sensor-fused superfighter ? Whatever your view of the Lockheed Martin F-35 Joint Strike Fighter , Farnborough could be the first opportunity for the general public to see the West 's latest stealth fighter outside of the U.S. That 's , of course , only if the aircraft overcomes a last minute fleet grounding following an engine glitch to fly across the Atlantic . The UK , as a key industrial and strategic partner for the F-35 , is set to acquire the fifth generation fighter , in its ' B ' vertical-lift version for the UK 's Royal Air Force and Royal Navy 's Fleet Air Arm . This UK visit , then , could see an order being placed for the first 14 F-35Bs . While the fighter will wow the crowds with its vertical hovering in the air display , for the military top brass the most exciting features -- including its advanced sensors , helmet display and stealth -- are under the skin . Should the F-35 miss the showcase of Farnborough , this will provide extra ammunition for its detractors -- and its absence would be a big talking point . One positive point however , for the aircraft 's recent engine fire , is it happened on the ground where engineers can study and solve the problem . New contenders . While the home team will be riding high -- thanks to the UK government 's support for its R & D and space sector -- Farnborough is truly a global airshow and showcase for the aerospace industry around the world -- with over two-thirds of 1,500 exhibitors coming from outside the UK . New countries represented this year include Malaysia , Tunisia and Thailand . While Airbus and Boeing continue to dominate the commercial aircraft industry , new entrants will be using Farnborough to show off their progress . Expect updates from Brazil 's Embraer -- which will have a mockup cabin for its re-engined E2 airliner , Japan 's Mitsubishi Aircraft , whose Mitsubishi Regional Jet is now in final assembly , and Russia 's Irkut -- developing the MC-21 -- a rival to the A320 and 737 . However , one airliner in development that will be notable by its absence at the show is Canada 's Bombardier CSeries . This suffered a serious engine failure on the ground at the end of May , and although ground-testing has resumed , the aircraft now will miss the show . Finally , the airshow will also see a new military type from the U.S. making its international debut - the Textron Airland Scorpion . The two-seat , jet 'fighter ' is a low-cost attack and reconnaissance platform -- aimed at bridging the gap between supersonic expensive fast jets and slower , cheaper turboprops . Will it find a niche ? Read this : A century of commercial aviation . Rise of the drones . From book delivery by Amazon drone , to Google and Facebook 's acquisition of 'high-altitude , long endurance ' ( HALE ) makers , commercial UAVs ( unmanned aerial vehicles ) are now going mainstream -- and this year 's Farnborough will reflect this with a focus on autonomous 'intelligent systems ' and indoor and outdoor UAV flying areas . Civil UAVs are now possibly one of the fastest growing sectors in aerospace , with one estimate that in five years , commercial UAVs just in the U.S. could be a $ 13bn industry . However , despite the enthusiasm , challenges remain ; in certification , in sharing airspace with manned aircraft and in the business models and structure of this emerging sector . So far the majority of activity has been in small UAVs like quad- and multi-copters -- but the bigger , established global aerospace players are now looking hungrily in the direction of the commercial UAV market . Can they break into this ? Or will , in this fast-growing sector , the big primes be outmaneuvered by these tiny start-ups ? Read this : 15 ways drones will change your life .
Farnborough airshow is one of the biggest aviation industry gatherings . International presence is expected to be at an all-time high , says aviation expert Tim Robinson . The UK has been a major player in military and aerospace technology for decades.