Dubai Hosts Groundbreaking Drone Delivery Trials Showcasing BVLOS Capability
In a pioneering three-week initiative, Dubai served as the host city for Beyond Visual Line of Sight (BVLOS) drone delivery trials conducted by UAE-based logistics service provider, Jeebly LLC, and Indian autonomous drone delivery company, Skye Air Mobility.
The trials, held within the confines of the Dubai Silicon Oasis (DSO), demonstrated the secure and efficient transportation of a diverse range of consumer goods. Central to the tests was the Skye Ship One drone, equipped with a proprietary connectivity system, a state-of-the-art navigation system, and an array of safety features including parachute deployment and collision avoidance mechanisms. Videos and images captured during the trials depicted packages securely stowed within delivery boxes affixed to the drones, which then took off, traversed a designated route, and landed at the specified drop-off point.
The testing grounds were situated at the Dubai Experimental Zone within the DSO, a real-world testing facility dedicated to the development, evaluation, and demonstration of robotics and autonomous systems. 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, the zone is emblematic of Dubai’s commitment to advancing autonomous technologies.
Ahmad Hasan Belqaizi, Executive Director of the Aviation Safety and Environment Sector at the Dubai Civil Aviation Authority, underscored the significance of the trials’ success in elucidating the regulatory and operational intricacies of commercial drone transport operations. He emphasized the need for strategic collaboration among the Dubai Civil Aviation Authority, the Dubai Future Foundation, and DSO, with the goal of enhancing security and safety standards while fostering an environment conducive to investment in the drone sector.
Raman Pathak, CEO of Jeebly, commended Dubai’s advanced infrastructure as a crucible for testing new drone solutions. He highlighted the project’s alignment with the Universal Postal Union’s (UPU) sustainable development objectives, portraying it as an effective and environmentally conscious method for delivering small- to medium-sized packages.
Ankit Kumar, Founder & CEO of Skye Air, hailed the transformative potential of drones in the logistics industry. He praised the Skye Ship One drone, which has completed over 1,700 flights, as an emblematic leap forward in logistics, expressing confidence that the BVLOS trial would illustrate drones’ capacity to revolutionize last-mile delivery.
Muammar Al Katheeri, Chief Officer of Engineering and Sustainability at Dubai Integrated Economic Zones Authority (DIEZ), affirmed the DSO’s reputation for welcoming innovators across diverse sectors to test their drone delivery concepts. He expressed delight at collaborating with Skye Air and Jeebly in piloting their BVLOS drone delivery systems at DSO, offering expertise to bolster the trials’ success.
