Dubai launches new drone initiative

New DFF programme to help drive drone innovation

Sheikh Hamdan Bin Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and Chairman of Dubai Executive Council, and Chairman of the Board of Trustees of Dubai Future Foundation launched a new drone innovation programme this week. It is the first major initiative to be announced since the Dubai drone law was passed in July 2020.

The 𝗗𝘂𝗯𝗮𝗶 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗴𝗿𝗮𝗺𝗺𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝗘𝗻𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲 𝗗𝗿𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝗧𝗿𝗮𝗻𝘀𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 aims to foster public-private partnerships, facilitate approvals for drone trials, and contribute to physical and digital infrastructure. Dubai Silicon Oasis (DSO) will be used as a designated area to test and trial drone services and solutions.

Last year's drone law outlined a framework for developing new regulations governing drone activity and creating a services ecosystem. With Dubai Civil Aviation Authority plans for a Dubai Sky Dome already drafted - proposing services, infrastructure and digital systems for UAV air corridors across Dubai - the new law gave DCAA the mandate to go ahead and create a regulated drone services ecosystem. However, the devil is in the detail, and despite progress, very little has been announced over the past 16 months.

So, there maybe a lot more to the new drone programme than meets the eye. Creating a drone testing at DSO, makes it the go-to contact point for innovators and global companies that want to demo their drone solutions to public and private sector. The inclusion of Emirates SkyCargo in the programme sends a signal that logistics solutions are top of mind. Meanwhile, having DSO's Fakeeh University Hospital and Majid Al Futtaim involved points to potential collaboration on trials of delivery solutions for healthcare and the retail sector. This drone programme could accelerate public-private sector engagement dramatically and help fast-track proof of concepts in the short term, not to mention create a much needed pipeline of Dubai drone news.

Find out more about Dubai's drone plans:

• See my Linkedin post about the Dubai Programme to Enable Drone Transportation.

• Read my July 2020 Linkedin article about the Dubai Drone Law.