Watch: Dubai hosts groundbreaking drone delivery trials

Dubai hosted a three-week long Beyond Visual Line of Sight (BVLOS) drone delivery trials conducted by Jeebly LLC, a UAE-based logistics service provider, and Skye Air Mobility, an Indian autonomous drone delivery company.

The trial showcased the safe and secure transportation of a wide range of consumer goods within the Dubai Silicon Oasis (DSO). The drone used for the trials, Skye Ship One, comes with a proprietary connectivity system, navigation system and multiple safety systems that include parachute and collision avoidance, among others.

Videos and photos of the trials showed packages being stored inside delivery boxes attached to drones. The drone then takes off and flies for some time before landing at the designated area to deliver the package.

The testing took place at the Dubai Experimental Zone in DSO. The zone serves as a real-world test-bed for the development, evaluation and demonstration of robotics and autonomous systems. It was established as part of the Dubai Programme to Enable Drone Transportation launched in November 2021 by Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and Chairman of The Executive Council.

Ahmad Hasan Belqaizi, executive director, Aviation Safety and Environment Sector at the Dubai Civil Aviation Authority, said the success of the initial trials holds “immense significance” in identifying the regulatory and operational aspects for commercial transport operations using drones.

“Reaching this goal requires strategic cooperation between the Dubai Civil Aviation Authority and its strategic partners involved in the project: Dubai Future Foundation and DSO. This cooperation aims to enhance security and safety standards, to enable public and private entities to use drones in providing the desired services. It will regulate activities related to the use of drones, and create an environment conducive to investment in this sector.”

Raman Pathak, CEO of Jeebly, highlighted how Dubai provides the advanced infrastructure to test new drone solutions. “This explorative drone project represents an effective and environmentally responsible solution for the delivery of small- to medium-sized packages, in line with the Universal Postal Union’s (UPU) sustainable development objectives.”

Skye Air’s Founder & CEO, Ankit Kumar, emphasised the potential of drones to transform the logistics industry. “Skye Ship One is by far the most reliable drone in India having conducted over 1,700 flights and it represents a significant leap forward in the world of logistics, and we are confident that this BVLOS trial will demonstrate the potential of drones to revolutionise last-mile delivery.”

Muammar Al Katheeri, chief officer of Engineering and Sustainability at Dubai Integrated Economic Zones Authority (DIEZ), said the DSO has welcomed “numerous innovators” across a variety of sectors and industries to test run their drone delivery concepts. “We are delighted to collaborate with Skye Air and Jeebly in piloting their BVLOS drone delivery systems at DSO and offer our expertise to support the success of their trials.”

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