Dubai Silicon Oasis hosts innovative three-week BVLOS drone delivery trials

Dubai Silicon Oasis (DSO), the economic zone specialized in innovation and knowledge and member of the Dubai Integrated Economic Zones Authority (TEN), hosted an innovative three-week Beyond Visual Line of Sight (BVLOS) drone delivery trial conducted by Jeebly LLC, a leading logistics services provider based in the United Arab Emirates and Skye Air Mobility, the company largest SaaS-based autonomous drone delivery platform in India.

The tests carried out in collaboration with the Dubai Future Foundation, he Dubai Civil Aviation Authority and Dubai Silicon Oasis, took place at the Dubai Experimental Zone at 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 Program to enable drone transportation launched in November 2021 by His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and Chairman of the Executive Council.

Eng. Muammar Al Katheeri, Director of Engineering and Sustainability at DIEZ, saying:

“Since its inception, DSO has placed top priority on supporting ambitious entrepreneurs who use advanced technologies to deliver smart city solutions. In line with its status as an innovation and knowledge hub and the Dubai Master Plan 2040, DSO joined the Dubai Program to enable drone transportation. Since then, we have welcomed numerous innovators across a variety of sectors and industries to test 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.”

Ahmad Hasan Belqaizi, Executive Director, Environment and Aviation Safety Sector, Dubai Civil Aviation Authority fixed:

“The success of the initial tests is of immense importance in identifying the regulatory and operational aspects that need to be developed and improved to create a solid foundation for improving the efficiency of commercial transportation operations using drones. Achieving this goal requires strategic cooperation between the Dubai Civil Aviation Authority and its strategic partners involved in the project: Dubai Future Foundation and Dubai Silicon Oasis. This cooperation aims to improve safety and security standards, to allow public and private entities to use drones to provide the desired services. “It will regulate activities related to the use of drones and create an enabling environment for investment in this sector in order to contribute to the strategy to make Dubai a hub for the drone industry and intelligent and innovative air transport systems.” .

“We are excited to take the next step in the last mile logistics revolution.”

saying Raman Pathak, CEO of Jeebly.

“With this leap forward in drone deliveries, we aim to increase the efficiency of our transportation services by using drones for various purposes. Dubai provides the advanced infrastructure that allows us to test new drone solutions and ensure we are constantly innovating our services. This exploratory drone project represents an effective and environmentally responsible solution for the delivery of small and medium-sized packages, in line with the sustainable development goals of the Universal Postal Union (UPU). By supporting this project, we are confident that we will be able to achieve our goals of being leaders in sustainability and efficiency through logistics.”

he added.

The trial showcased the safe transportation of a wide range of consumer goods within the Dubai Silicon Oasis. The drone used for testing, Skye Ship One, is Skye Air’s flagship and comes with Skye Connect (patented connectivity system), Skye Tunnel (navigation system), multiple safety systems including but not limited to parachutes, collision prevention and more.

Ankit Kumar, Founder and CEO of Skye Airhighlighted the potential of drones to transform the logistics industry.

“Skye Air is committed to pushing the boundaries of drone technology, and our partnership with Jeebly to participate in the Dubai program reflects this shared ambition. We are grateful to the Dubai Civil Aviation Authority, Dubai Future Foundation, Dubai Silicon Oasis and all other stakeholders of the program to make it possible. Skye Ship One is by far India’s most reliable drone having completed over 1,700 flights and represents a major breakthrough in the world of logistics, and we are confident that this BVLOS trial will demonstrate the potential of drones to revolutionize last mile delivery,”

he said.

Khalifa Al Qama, Director of Dubai Future Labs, confirmed that this new project supports Dubai’s efforts to develop and expand drone applications in collaboration with government entities, private companies and regulatory bodies.

“This contributes to the creation of futuristic and high-quality solutions originating from Dubai, aimed at using drone technology to improve the efficiency of various economic and service sectors.”

He concluded.

The Dubai Program to enable drone transportation is one of the key initiatives aimed at implementing and activating the Dubai Sky Dome policy approved by the Executive Council in December 2018. The key objective of the initiative is to develop the infrastructure for a space aerial for drones. vehicles to connect various locations and buildings within the emirate via designated landing strips and airports specifically designed for the transportation of passengers and goods by drones.

As part of the initiatives and projects undertaken within the framework of this policy, the Dubai Civil Aviation Authority has issued comprehensive rules and legislation to regulate the use of drones. A key example is Law No. (4) of 2020, which specifically addresses the governance of drones and their related services, with a strong emphasis on ensuring safety and security. This legislation falls within the scope of the Dubai Shield program for drone safety, complemented by the effective implementation of the Dubai Air Traffic Management System for drones. These measures collectively contribute to establishing a robust regulatory framework that encourages the responsible use of drones while maintaining the highest levels of safety in Dubai’s airspace.

News source: Dubai Press Office