UAE to host Middle East’s largest-ever drone zone

The UAE Drones for Good Award and Dubai World Trade Centre (DWTC) today announced a partnership to host the Middle East’s largest-ever live drone activation zone at GITEX Technology Week 2015 – the landmark 35thanniversary of the leading ICT business gateway in the Middle East, North Africa and South-east Asia.

Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs), widely known as drones, can range in size from five centimetres to 50 metres and are seeing strong take-up across multiple major industries. Drones are already used in construction to inspect development sites for safety, while healthcare providers are exploring drones as a vehicle to remotely deliver medicine from hospitals to patients. Drones are also being adopted by Smart City planners to support public safety efforts.

Demonstrating the growing demand for drones, the UAE Drones for Good Award predicts that the global drone industry will create up to USD 10 billion in economic impact and more than 100,000 jobs by 2025. In particular, the global market for commercial and civilian drones is set to grow at a CAGR of 19 percent from 2015 to 2020, nearly quadruple the rate for military drones, according to BI Intelligence.

Regionally, the UAE Drones for Good Award is driving drone innovation with its annual competition, which saw 800 submissions from 57 different countries in the inaugural event held earlier this year.

A selection of the Drones for Good winners and leading drone manufacturers will showcase their pioneering drones at GITEX Technology Week’s new GTX Horizons zone in The Plaza. Alongside the drones cluster will be a state-of-the-art Robotics display featuring global launches from Robotics Zone Partner DigiRobotics, and a Future of Transport area.

“The inaugural winners of the Drones for Good competition demonstrated how drone technology can improve people’s lives and solve issues through technology. With 2015 being the UAE’s Year of Innovation, showcasing the latest drone models at GITEX Technology Week will demonstrate to an international audience how the UAE is a global hub for technological innovation,” said Saif Al Aleeli, Award Coordinator, UAE Drones for Good Award, the event’s official Drones Zones Partner.

Switzerland-based Flyability won the Drones for Good USD 1 million first prize for its Collision Resistant Drone for search and rescue missions. Additional winners included New York University Abu Dhabi, whose drone can help to preserve wildlife in Wadi Wurayah National Park; and Etisalat, whose drones can expand wireless network coverage.

“As the Internet of Things era continues to pick up pace in the Middle East, connected cameras and sensors are leading to increased drone usage. Drones users can now see the world from above for features such as data analysis, mapping, and 3D modelling. GITEX Technology Week is the ideal platform to showcase our latest line of drones with controls via smartphones and connected devices, and working closely with thought space leaders, experts, and companies to expand innovation,” said Colin Guinn, Chief Revenue Officer, 3D Robotics.

The United States-based 3D Robotics, which is co-exhibiting with audiovisual manufacturer Monster Middle East, will be one of several leading drone exhibitors in a line-up that also includes the; Dubai-based Universal Holdings LLC, the distributor of drones made by China-based manufacturer AEE; and robotics and automation solutions company DigiRobotics, the official Robotics Zone Partner.

"The amount of innovation in drone space is growing exponentially across industries ranging from filmmaking, agriculture, utility inspection, and search and rescue. We're dedicated to see the creative and innovative potential of this technology continue expanding in the Middle East,” said Michael Perry, Director of Communication, DJI.

DJI is one of three China-based manufacturers that will be demonstrating their drones in the GTX Horizons space, alongside GDU Aerial Technology (also called ProDrone), and Harwar.

“We fully focus on the comprehensive research, development, design and production of unmanned aerial vehicles and we strive to not only offer concierge style customer service, but a truly fascinating flying experience," said Aleck Yee, Senior Sales Manager, ProDrone GDU Aerial Technology Company.

“From government agencies to agriculture companies and retailers, every vertical sector is set to be impacted by commercial drones in the near future. In line with our show theme of ‘The Internet Future of Everything,’ the Unmanned Aerial Vehicle zone at GTX Horizons will show visitors the practical applications for technologically-advanced drones in the Internet of Things era, and help to support the UAE’s growing number of drone developers and adopters,” said Trixie LohMirmand, Senior Vice President, Exhibitions & Events Management, Dubai World Trade Centre (DWTC).

For more information on the 35th GITEX Technology Week – running from 18-22 October 2015 at DWTC - visit: www.gitex.com. For more information on the UAE Drones for Good Award, visit www.dronesforgood.ae.