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- Drones market growth limited by the lack of crucial legislation and roadmap in the world
- Drones law to attract technology start-ups seeking for new opportunities
Dubai: Dubai’s new drone law will position the emirate as the world’s commercial and start-up hub for drone services and will drive growth in the region’s drones industry, making it one of the strategic sectors that will lead to the economic recovery.
This is according to Falcon Eye Drones (FEDS), the Middle East’s leading provider of DT^3 (Drone Technology, Data Technology, and Digital Transformation) technology, who underscored the importance of the new law in removing a major barrier in developing and utilising drones to its fullest potential.
Rabih Bou Rashid, CEO of FEDS, said: “The global commercial drones market is slated to grow 20% annually. That growth, however, has been limited because of a lack of crucial legislation and roadmap in the world.”
GCC’s drone industry is expected to reach $1.5 billion by 2022, according to PwC’s Strategy&. Much of this, the study said, will be generated from oil and gas as well as utilities, constituting 43 per cent and 32 per cent, respectively.
“Dubai’s new drones law is a significant development for the entire industry as it aims to take away hurdles in maximising the use of drones,” Bou Rashid said. “It will also enable the creation of an integrated airport network and ground control infrastructure for drones, which will set a world precedent.”
Before Dubai’s Law No. 04 of 2020, he said, no place in the world has ever formed a blanket law that covers the creation of an aerial infrastructure network and integrated framework for manufacturing, licencing, inspection, sale and ownership, as well as drone-based transport activities and services regulations.
The pioneering legislation will pave the way for the implementation of ‘Dubai Sky Dome’, an initiative that will provide a master plan of a virtual airspace infrastructure for commercial drone use in the emirate.
The law came following the UAE government’s extensive use of drones in the national sterilisation programme, as well as in its information dissemination, police patrolling and crowd guidance at the onset and during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Dubai as hub for R&D and technology start-ups
These benefits are just the tip of the iceberg as the industry has not yet optimised the other uses of drones, Bou Rashid said. Through R&D, he noted that drones can be developed as a revolutionary tool that will help various sectors embark on a large-scale digital transformation in the face of a new world order.
In addition, the law will bring about a novel economic stream that will position the emirate as the go-to hub for technology start-ups seeking new opportunities, he said.
The establishment of FEDS itself bears witness to Dubai being an ideal location for start-ups venturing into drones services. Founded in 2014, it is proud to be a home-grown company that has made a name for itself as one of the top drone service providers in the world, conducting thousands of commercial operations for some of the biggest companies in the Middle East in such a short period.
The recent strategic investment it received from Aerodyne Group has created the world’s largest drone service company.
Key sectors to use drones
The region has been using drones extensively in the agriculture and construction sectors, even before the pandemic started, said Bou Rashid.
In a project for the UAE Ministry of Climate Change and Environment, FEDS had conducted a seeding initiative to plant 6.25 million Ghaf and Samar trees across 25 locations in the country in just a few days – a process that used to take decades with the traditional farming methods.
In the construction industry, Bou Rashid explained that employing drones would help contractors cut down expenses by 11.8 per cent in terms of progress monitoring, as the technology allows them to constantly detect potential errors before they become costly problems over time.
Emphasising how drones can cut time wastage by 18.4 per cent, he said, “This remotely piloted aircraft helps developers save hours plotting the site through their fast data collection capabilities. The ability of drones to conduct return flights and provide precise data through aerial view maps allows firms to detect potential errors effortlessly.”
Drones also keep construction personnel away from the dangers of surveying hazardous sites, especially since they can hover even around risky spots to gather clips of the construction development.
Bou Rashid said: “From space initiatives down to the wide-scale drone usage amidst the global pandemic, UAE’s resolute commitment to advance science and technology albeit the challenges posed by the crisis is very much remarkable, positioning the country at the forefront of progress.”
“The new drone law affirms the UAE leadership’s forward-thinking approach to reach greater heights and become a leading force in the innovation that will attract new opportunities in the new normal,” he added.
-Ends-
About FEDS:
FEDS is the first and leading Drone-As-A-Service (DaaS) company in the Middle East and amongst the top 10 drone services companies in the world in the mapping, surveying and inspection services.
In April 2020, FEDS has successfully closed a strategic investment with Aerodyne Group to create the world’s largest drone service company.
Proud to be UAE home-grown, FEDS was established in 2014, and in a short period has become the only company from the Middle East to be named as one of the top drone service providers in the world.
The company has acquired a global ranking of #7 in the ‘top drone service provider- mapping, surveying and inspection category’, and #12 in the ‘top drone service provider worldwide,’ as per the Drone Service Provider Ranking Report 2019 by Drone Industry Insights.
FEDS has pioneered Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) commonly referred to as ‘drones’ in the region, making FEDS synonymous with anything related to drone services.
The company, founded by Rabih Bou Rashid, is the first DaaS firm in the Middle East that provides highly efficient, and sustainable drone services in the field of mapping, surveying, and inspection for companies in the mega industries—such as oil and gas, sustainable energy and utility, construction and infrastructure.
FEDS is committed to innovative technological advancements that provide cost-effective, timesaving, accurate and safe solutions to improve business decisions and strategic planning.
With highly qualified and certified workforce and channel partners, FEDS stays at the industry forefront by utilising the latest technology applications, data collection and analytic tools powered by AI as well as continuous evolution with the market trends.
FEDS provides solutions like aerial photography, 3D mapping, aerial surveys, inspections, and other aerial services with each solution uniquely customised as per the client’s requirements.
Currently, the company has its stronghold in the UAE and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and expanding steadily in the GCC countries and the MENA region. Headquartered in Dubai, FEDS has completed 1000+ projects in the Middle East & Africa region.
In addition, it is the only drone company in the Middle East that has partnered with Zayed University and the International Centre for Biosaline Agriculture. For more details - www.feds.ae
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