Dubai remains at the forefront of technology, and this week the first drone delivery system in the Middle East was launched at Dubai Silicon Oasis (DSO), a hub of innovation in the city. The event in Dubai was held in collaboration with the Civil Aviation Authority and the CEO of Emirates Airline and Group, Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum.
During this first test, an order was placed via the system from the Rochester Institute of Technology in Dubai (RIT-Dubai), one of the delivery points in the DSO drone network, putting this type of system’s functionality to the test and paving the way for how it can be implemented moving forward.
A cutting-edge system in Dubai
The launch of this innovative system was led by the Crown Prince of Dubai, Minister of Defense of the United Arab Emirates (UAE), and Chairman of the Dubai Future Foundation (DFF) Board of Trustees, Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum.
During the event, the Sheikh emphasized that the project is part of the Dubai Economic Agenda D33 and aims to position the emirate as a leader in strategic developments and cutting-edge technology to improve living conditions for the community. As mentioned earlier, the project also involves the Civil Aviation Authority, the Dubai Integrated Economic Zones Authority (DIEZ), and the Dubai Future Foundation (DFF).
Drones at Dubai’s service
The use of drone technology is already common in Dubai, where advancements of this kind are frequent. Several years ago, the emirate, aiming to make 25% of its transport system autonomous by 2030, announced a groundbreaking taxi system based on a Chinese drone. This service seeks to promote forward-thinking, eco-friendly transportation with actual flying taxis capable of navigating the city.
These flying taxis will be operational by 2026 and will accommodate one pilot and four passengers, boasting a range of 241 kilometers and a maximum speed of 300 kilometers per hour. Alongside this project, plans are also in place for the construction of the Skyports Infrastructure Vertiport, the first of its kind in the world, which will allow these air taxis to land. The city is set to become the first globally to integrate a “fully developed network” of flying taxis into its public transportation system.
A new concept of transportation in Dubai
Such innovations are part of the emirate’s plans to become a country with autonomous transportation within the next six years. Within this framework lies the already-known Hyperloop One system, which aims to shorten the distance between Abu Dhabi and Dubai using technology that reduces travel between these key hubs to mere seconds.
This new transportation concept may seem like something out of science fiction, having been announced by Elon Musk in 2013 with the idea of creating a system of transporting passengers in capsules that travel on an air cushion in a low-pressure tube. Despite its bold announcement, the project has remained on hold, likely due to the sophisticated construction required. As reported, the lines would need to be built in a straight line, and the massive tubes necessary for its operation were deemed problematic given the amount of space they would occupy.
