The drone delivery operation will cover 33 per cent of Dubai by 2030…

The transportation of cargo has never been the most glamorous topic of conversation for parties, but if you skip past the cosmetic layers of logistics and supply chain analytics, it’s a pretty profound and fascinating area of study. Genuinely. Stick with me.

Throughout the course of human history, it has reversed fortunes, transformed economies, enabled empires, and paved new routes (sometimes quite literally) for increasingly elaborate passenger transport too. From horse and cart to spice route shipping lanes, to trains, planes and boats, from bullet trains to blockchains. The latest shift has been towards drones and automation, a transition that could be as impactful as the invention of the steam engine or the internet, for the transportation of goods.

And of course the UAE, a nation committed to innovation and developing future technologies, has been a stakeholder in developing these new systems of conveyance. Yesterday, December 17, marked an important milestone in this project, with His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence of the UAE, and Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Dubai Future Foundation (DFF) launching a new drone delivery system, the very first of its kind in the Middle East.

The Keeta unlocking drone transportation

The operators behind the new delivery system are Keeta Drone, a Chinese firm, who were awarded the license by the Dubai Civil Aviation Authority (DCAA).

Sheikh Hamdan actually placed the first drone order from the Rochester Institute of Technology-Dubai (RIT-Dubai) platform in Dubai Silicon Oasis – a designated landing pad of the drone delivery network.

And whilst the initial operation is boutique in its capacity, it’s expected to cover 33 per cent of the total land area of Dubai by 2030. That’s an impressive expansion plan.

The sky is no longer the limit

Talking about the development, His Highness said: “Over the past years, we have launched a series of programmes in Dubai aimed at promoting the development of smart city solutions, enhancing economic integration between various sectors, and employing technology in the service of society, such as the Dubai Programme to Enable Drone Transportation, the Dubai Robotics and Automation Program, the Dubai Research and Development Program, and Dubai’s annual plan to accelerate the adoption of artificial intelligence. Today, we are reaping the impressive results of these initiatives and continuing the transformational projects that will double the size of Dubai’s economy by 2033.”

It’s all part of some pretty lofty goals “Our strategy places a high priority on strengthening public-private partnerships to catalyse research and development (R&D), sustainable growth, and smart mobility. This aligns with the Dubai Economic Agenda D33, which aims to position Dubai among the world’s top three urban economies.”

Images: Getty