Good morning!
Here’s your weekly Middle East AI News!
As you might expect, lots of this week’s news coming out of the International Defence Exhibition and Conference in Abu Dhabi, IDEX 2023. Abu Dhabi’s EDGE announced 11 new autonomous and unmanned solutions; EDGE also launched a new USV together with Israel’s IAI; and US-based Collins Aerospace signed deal to develop unmanned aircraft systems in Saudi Arabia.
One of the biggest announcements at IDEX took place yesterday. HelioTech, the new VTOL manufacturer formed by Tawazun Council's Council's Strategic Development Fund (SDF), unveiled a new 2-tonne unmanned helicopter called the Phenom, built in Abu Dhabi. Production will start in 2026.
Outside of IDEX, there was some interesting drone news with Dronamics announced a $40 million pre-Series A round with funding from Abu Dhabi's Tawazun Council; and Oman’s AirGo securing seed funding from a Saudi VC.
Scroll down for these stories and more.
Thanks for reading!
/Carrington
Drones
Dronamics raises $40 million in pre-Series A funding
#UAE #funding - Dronamics, the world’s first cargo drone airline with license to operate in Europe, today announced that it has raised a total of $40 million in pre-Series A funding. Investors include the Strategic Development Fund (SDF), the investment arm of the Abu Dhabi's Tawazun Council. (Dronamics)
Omani drone startup AirGo set for Saudi expansion
#Oman #Saudi #funding - AirGo, an Omani developer of an unmanned traffic management (UTM) System platform-as-a-service, has signed an investment agreement with Saudi-based Forming Future to raise US$2.7 million seed round funding, which will allow the startup to enter the Saudi Arabian market. (Muscat Daily)
AI opinion
44% of employees in Egypt fear losing their jobs to AI
#Egypt #jobs - According a survey from anti-virus software firm Kaspersky, 44% of employees in Egypt are afraid of losing their job to robots, and every one out of four employees 25% reported they heard of cybersecurity incidents with robots or automated systems in their company. (Daily News Egypt)
Also see:
50% of employees in the UAE fear losing their Jobs to AI (Fintech News)
Saudi workers fear losing jobs to robots (Arabian Business)
Gaming
AD Gaming joins with Sawa Group to boost Abu Dhabi’s gaming ecosystem
#UAE #gaming - AD Gaming, the entity responsible for developing the gaming and e-sports industry in Abu Dhabi, has signed a partnership with Sawa Group, a game-publishing and e-sports company, under which it will relocated to the capital. (The National)
Education
India’s IIT to open first overseas campus in Abu Dhabi
#India #UAE #education - India’s prestigious Indian Institute of Technology, better known as IIT, will begin courses in Abu Dhabi next year. There are 23 IITs in India and the institute is famous for producing graduates ranked among the world’s most successful innovators, engineers and entrepreneurs. (The National)
Khalifa University experts complete train-the-trainer programme at Leonardo in Italy
#Italy #UAE #cybersecurity - Security professionals from Khalifa University of Science and Technology have just complated a train-the-trainer programme at Leonardo, the Italian-headquartered aerospace, defence and security multinational. The experts will become teachers at the new Khalifa University Cyber Security Academy in Abu Dhabi. (Khaleej Times)
Industry 4.0
UAE launches Industrial Technology Transformation Index
#UAE #Industry4 - The UAE’s Ministry of Industry and Advanced Technology (MoIAT) and the Abu Dhabi Department of Economic Development (ADDED) have launched an Industrial Technology Transformation Index (ITTI), a comprehensive framework to measure the digital maturity and sustainability of factories, to help formulate a roadmap for industrial transformation. (MoAIT)
Security
Dubai Police uses AI to arrest killer in 3 hours
#UAE #security - Dubai Police recently apprehended a killer just 3 hours after a fatal stabbing using #security camera data and #AI, according to an interview with a police colonel in the Arabic language newspaper Al Bayan. (Emirates 24/7)
Defence
EDGE launches 11 new unmanned solutions
#UAE #IDEX2023 - EDGE unveiled 11 new cutting-edge unmanned and autonomous solutions with enhanced capabilities for application across air, land, and maritime domains at the International Defence Exhibition and Conference - IDEX 2023. (Zawya)
HelioTech to make unmanned helicopter in Abu Dhabi
#UAE #IDEX2023 - Helio Aviation Technologies, the new UAE-based VTOL-focused aviation firm formed by the Tawazun Council's Council's Strategic Development Fund (SDF) will manufacturer a 2-tonne unmanned helicopter. Called the Phenom, the first aircraft is expected to be delivered by the end of 2026. (Emirates News Agency)
U.S., UAE Naval Forces complete joint unmanned exercise
#UAE #USVs - U.S. and UAE naval forces took part in their first-ever bilateral unmanned systems exercise this month, according to a US Navy statement. The weeklong unmanned systems and AI integration exercise, organised by the US Navy's Task Force 59, took place off the coast of the UAE, ending on Monday. (US Navy)
Collins and SRB to jointly develop UAS solutions in KSA
#Saudi #IDEX2023 - US_based Collins Aerospace has signed an MoU with Saudi-based company SRB Aerial Systems to jointly develop uncrewed aerial systems (UAS) and robotics in Saudi Arabia. (Air Force Technology)
D-Fend Solutions & Resource Industries to deliver C-UAS in UAE
#UAE #antidrone - D-Fend Solutions, the leader in radio frequency (RF), cyber-based, counter-drone takeover technology and military vehicle manufacturer Resource Industries will cooperate to provide UAE security agencies with advanced counter-unmanned aircraft system technology (C-UAS). (SUAS News)
EDGE unveils SKYSHIELD counter-UAS system
#UAE #IDEX2023 - EDGE, one of the world’s leading advanced technology and defence groups, today launched SKYSHIELD, a multi-layered, integrated counter-unmanned aerial system (C-UAS) solution, at IDEX. (Zawya)
Israel Aerospace Industries and EDGE launch new USV
#UAE #IDEX2023 - by Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) and Emirati defence consortium EDGE launched a new unmanned surface vessel (USV) off the coast of Abu Dhabi, which is equipped with advanced sensors and imaging systems and can be used for surveillance, reconnaissance and detecting mines. (AFP)
RAFAEL inaugurates UAE facility
#Israel #UAE #IDEX12023 - Israel's Rafael Advanced Defense Systems (RAFAEL) has opened a new office Abu Dhabi. The developer of advanced air defense solutions like the DRONE DOME and the SPYDER, announced the new facility during IDEX. (Aramada International)
The growing threat of Iran regime’s drone industry
#Iran #drones - Although Iran's drone programme it dates back to the early 1980s, Tehran made major breakthroughs after 2010, when it became capable of capturing and reverse engineering several US drones. (Arab News)