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Video: Determined ones to deliver iftar packets with drones

Dubai - Each flight will carry 10 Suhoor meals and we will operate about six trips per day, distributing between 200 and 400 meals throughout the duration.

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In a first of its kind initiative, three people of determination completed a three-day training course on Tuesday and will now pilot and navigate the drone delivery of 400 Suhoor meals to labourers during the last 10 days of Ramadan.
As part of the Community Development Authority's (CDA) 'Their Suhoor On Us' Ramadan initiative, Rashid Al Marzouqi, Abbad Khalid and Raisa Alfalasi will be tasked with feeding hundreds of workers by manning and operating a 15kg quadcopter drone, with a wing span of 1.5metres.
Joining the three volunteers during their training phase at the Sanad Academy, Khaleej Times spoke to Mohamed Noor, Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) engineer and trainer.

"This drone is not like the 2kg hobbyist drones we are used to seeing. With around 10 food packages attached during each flight, it will weigh about 26kg in total. Because of that it is not a one man operation, so we are splitting the roles into three parts for the three pilots."
The operation mission will see the newly trained pilots deliver food packages across a distance of 150 metres at Al Khawaneej Mosque in Dubai.
Speaking to Khaleej Times, Mohammad Ayedh Hamdan Saeed from the CDA's Youth Council confirmed the drone delivery operation will take place over a period of "three to six days" during the last 10 days of Ramadan.
The exact dates are yet to be confirmed as they are just waiting to receive the physical licence from the Dubai Civil Aviation Authority (DCAA).
"Each flight will carry 10 Suhoor meals and we will operate about six trips per day, distributing between 200 and 400 meals throughout the duration. Each mission (flight) will take four minutes to complete."
He said the CDA's Youth Council came up with the initiative as a way to engage people of determination with regards to volunteering. "Some people have disabilities which don't allow them to physically give out these food packages, so this was our way of including them."
Al Marzouqi, Khalid and Alfalasi will be flying the drone at a height of between 30-50metres above ground - ensuring no people are below. The drone will cruise at a speed of fewer than four metres per second, with a take-off speed of less than two metres per second. 
Although the flight will be in autonomous mode, the three volunteers will be responsible for operating all food deliveries as well as launching failsafe mechanisms if need be. 
"One person will be operating the controller. They can step in to take back control if anything goes wrong like loss of signal or battery power. One will be reading the drone's data to make sure it is on track, and the final pilot will act as the spotter to make sure nothing is coming in the way of the drone and to ensure it is in the line of sight," Noor said. 
And for the three new pilots, closely monitoring these key elements will be the secret to the success of the operation.
"The essential information for any mission includes maintaining altitude and monitoring ground speed, flight time, distance, airspeed, climb rate, and ability to detect wind direction. Each flight mostly depends on GPS to do the mission, but the pilot is crucial in making it work."

Meet the pilots

Name: Abbad Khalid

Job: Immigration Department, Dubai

"Someone at work told me about the drone delivery volunteer initiative and it sounded different, unique. I have limited use of the right side of my body so being able to deliver the food in this way allows me to get involved. People always say to me 'you can do anything', so although I never used a drone before, I thought it would be a great way to challenge myself and do something different. The training has been intense, like being back at school, but I know when I see the drone flying it will be worth it. I don't mind what role I have to play, as long as I get to be a part of this."

Name: Raisa Alfalasi

Job: Dubai Health Authority (DHA)

"This is the first time I have been able to get my hands on the remote control of a drone and it's been a great, but different experience. When it comes to piloting the drone during the delivery phase, personally, I'd love to be behind the controls. I like to lead and it seems like the most hands on role. It was my friend who told me about the initiative and I wanted to get involved because it is important to integrate people with determination. Getting to play with the remote was like going back to my childhood.

Name: Rashid Almarzouqi

Job: social department, CDA 

"The Youth Council approached me and asked me if I wanted to apply for the volunteer experience. I couldn't say no. It's a great responsibility and we are the first batch of people with determination who have been trained in drone delivery for a social initiative. What better time to do it than during Ramadan. It's a fun initiative to give back and even though we are not handing the food directly to the labourers, we feel we are sharing the moment with them. For me, I'd like to control the remote too. It's hand on and you feel like you are the leader."
 
kelly@khaleejtimes.com