KT Special: Drones in UAE could soon deliver your pizza and groceries

In the 1990s, the availability of internet revolutionised the e-commerce industry.

Two decades later, the industry is on the cusp of the next big change with the arrival of drones.

In the US, Europe and China, drones are changing the name of the game when it comes to quick and efficient delivery of goods and services, be it the Amazon Prime Air – a drone delivery system to deliver parcels in less than an hour, DomiCopter to deliver hot pizzas or Manna drones that deliver groceries in Ireland.

For UAE residents, too, the reality of a dozen unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) hovering over their heads with delivery packets, and swooping down on their doorsteps to deliver make-up or medicines is not far off.

Companies and industry experts say the Dubai Programme to Enable Drone Transportation will add a fillip to the drone industry and its commercial use for delivery of goods and services in the country.

The initiative announced earlier this week by Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, aims to explore the use of drones in several sectors, including health, security, shipping and food.

The programme seeks to position Dubai as one of the smartest cities in the world and reduce carbon emissions generated by traditional shipping and transportation methods.

A unique pilot area will be allocated in Dubai Silicon Oasis for innovators and related entities from the UAE and abroad to develop and test new drone solutions and transform them into effective services that improve people’s lives and help achieve national economic goals.

DHL, a global shipping giant that is already using drones for special transports in certain regions in China, said the new initiative by Dubai will boost the sector.

“While we are piloting unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) in some areas to augment delivery with point-to-point and automated operations, we are yet quite some way off from completely replacing traditional ground-based transportation. The recently launched Dubai Program to Enable Drone Transportation will certainly be a fillip for the sector,” said Burak Ertuna, CIO, DHL Global Forwarding MEA.

He told Khaleej Times that UAVs are a safer, more cost-efficient and quicker solution for niche requirements that can be unsafe or inaccessible for people - such as enabling remote inspection of warehouses, outdoor assets, and infrastructure, including rail networks and pipelines.

According to him, property surveillance, inspection and inventory continue to be the strongest use cases for UAVs today and in the near future.

UAE companies gearing up for UAVs

Many companies - both in the private and public sector - in the UAE are taking the lead and using drones to enable efficient and faster delivery of services.

For instance, Department of Health (DoH) - Abu Dhabi announced in September this year that the emirate will adopt drone technology to distribute and transfer medical supplies within the healthcare sector.

Drones in the supply chain will be utilised to safely transport medical supplies, medicine and blood units, vaccinations and samples between laboratories, pharmacies, and blood banks located around the city.

The initiative, a first of its kind in the Middle East and North Africa, is a collaboration between the DoH, the General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA), SkyGo and Matternet. It aims to build a delivery system and network utilising drones at 40 sites over the year 2022.

Even though drone technology is still nascent in the public sphere, Abdulla M. Alashram, Group CEO of Emirates Post Group (EPG), said it is one of the emerging technologies that will grow exponentially considering the increased popularity of drones in recent times.

“Emirates Post Group is exploring opportunities to utilise drone delivery services in our efforts to embrace emerging technologies. The adoption of drone technology for deliveries in the near future would be in line with our efforts to reduce carbon footprint and initiatives to implement sustainable technologies to enhance our operations in the UAE and expand our delivery network,” Alashram told Khaleej Times.

Since drone technology is gaining popularity rapidly and the use of autonomous aircraft becomes more common, he added that there will be a need for strategies that would regulate and ensure efficient traffic management in the urban air space.

Meanwhile, for the effective deployment of electric vehicles for sustainable transportation, he said the company is also developing strategies to sustain infrastructure development.

“EPG has recently signed an MoU with BrightDrop, an electric delivery unit incubated by General Motors, to work with them in exploring the latest technological developments in the electric vehicles sector. This is in line with EPG’s commitment to transform courier delivery and last-mile solutions in the country and promote a more dynamic, optimized, and eco-friendly services,” said Alashram.

Pandemic spurred demand for door-to-door delivery

One of the service sectors that is expected to use drones in near future is the food delivery industry, which has grown exponentially in the last year with the onset of Coviod-19 pandemic.

Onur Elgun, Vice-President – Strategy at talabat MENA, said talabat will collaborate with relevant government agencies to create a strong and robust use case that will benefit “all aspects of our delivery ecosystem - our customers, our vendors and our riders."

"When we talk about drone delivery, we are really talking about a wider conversation - the future of delivery mobility in Dubai, and the UAE - which isn’t just limited to aviation. We are truly honoured and excited to have signed a partnership with the Dubai Future Foundation and other government agencies to explore this future together,” he said.

With the pandemic triggering an extensive demand for door-to-door delivery, even companies like Danube Home that is into home furnishing, said they are looking to explore new, cost-effective and environmentally sustainable ways of transportation.

“Drone delivery is an effective method to meet the new demand of customers,” said Sayed Habib, head of e-commerce and franchise at Danube Home.

“In the home improvement industry, there is a scope of using drone delivery for the large variety of cash and carry products including home décor, home ware and kitchen accessories. Thirty per cent of our sales come from these cash and carry products. Hence, the drone delivery system and the Dubai Programme to enable drone transportation will be beneficial for Danube Home,” he said.

The process of warehousing, stocking and distribution can also become efficient with the operation of drone technology, he added.

“Adoption of drones in the transportation and delivery system across UAE will not only increase efficiency, effectiveness and value of time for businesses,” he said.

Ways Dubai has used drones effectively

>> Sterlization: Dubai used drones to sterilise public areas in the emirate during the pandemic

>> To catch Covid violators: Dubai has used drones to catch violators of Covid-19 safety and precautionary guidelines.

>> To monitor desert camps: Sharjah Police has been using drones to monitor whether visitors to the desert are following Covid protocols

>> To distribute seeds: The UAE’s Ministry of Climate Change and Environment (MOCCAE) has carried out a drone-enabled local planting project

>> To catch criminals: Police in Sharjah and Dubai have used UAVs to arrest wanted criminals using facial recognitions.

Well, you have transportation. No one wants to spend hours stuck in traffic and drones could solve that. We've already seen countries pioneer the use of drones to transport medical equipment, be it organs or vaccination. Drones cut down transit time into just minutes, which can make a huge difference.