News

Meet Dubai’s Groundbreaking Smart Robot Delivery Assistant

Cedre Valley in Dubai’s Silicon Oasis will host a three-month trial of the delivery robots, aiming to enhance logistics efficiency and reduce carbon emissions.

Published

2 years ago

June 27, 2024

Nour Nasir

meet dubai's groundbreaking smart robot delivery assistant

Emirates News Agency

A groundbreaking delivery robot is now undergoing a three-month trial in Dubai’s Cedre Villas community at the Dubai Silicon Oasis (DSO). The innovative robot, developed in a partnership between logistics giant Aramex and the Dubai Integrated Economic Zones Authority (DIEZ), aims to revolutionize last-mile urban delivery services by enhancing efficiency and minimizing carbon emissions.

The trial in the Cedre Villas community will see the robot autonomously manage the delivery of over 1,000 packages. This upgraded version, equipped with multiple compartments designed for different parcel sizes, promises to boost delivery capacity and operational versatility compared to its single-cabin predecessors.

dubai delivery robot assistant

This cutting-edge technology is a part of Dubai’s ambitious strategy to integrate autonomous systems into its transportation network, with a goal of converting 25% of its transportation to autonomous mode by 2030. This initiative aligns with the wider Dubai 2040 Urban Master Plan, which emphasizes sustainable urban growth and smart mobility solutions.

To ensure safety and security during the pilot phase, recipients of packages from Aramex will receive secure pin codes to access their deliveries. Additionally, robot operations will be continuously monitored by a mobile outlet at the Cedre Shopping Centre, which will also manage the loading and unloading of packages.

Muammar Khaled Al Katheeri, Chief Officer of Engineering and Sustainability at DIEZ, highlighted the importance of integrating carbon-neutral delivery robots into Dubai’s Smart City Strategy, reinforcing the city’s commitment to advancing green technology for urban development.

Also Read: NVIDIA Teams With Ooredoo For Large-Scale Middle East Launch

Meanwhile, Tarek Abuyaghi, General Manager of Aramex, voiced his enthusiasm for the environmental benefits and enhanced urban living experience brought about by the initiative. The collaboration with DIEZ reflects a shared dedication to developing future-oriented delivery solutions in Dubai.

The pilot’s success will be assessed based on key metrics such as safety, efficiency, and customer satisfaction. Depending on the results, there may be an expansion of this technology to other economic zones, including the Dubai Airport Freezone and Dubai CommerCity.

News

Abu Dhabi’s Robot Kitchen Is Serving Up Biryani, Not Burgers

Circus SE wants to put a tiny automated factory inside the buildings where Gulf residents live and work, bypassing part of last-mile delivery.

Published

6 days ago

October 20, 2026

Nour Nasir

abu dhabi's robot kitchen is serving up biryani not burgers

Circus SE

The most telling thing about a new autonomous kitchen now running in Abu Dhabi’s Marina Square is what it won’t cook:

“We don’t do fast food,” says Nikolas Bullwinkel, Founder and CEO of Circus SE. “We’ve actively decided not to build a machine that can only do burgers”.

Instead, the CA-1 system is built around pot-based cooking: curries, pastas, soups and rice dishes. After experimenting with highly personalized recipes, Circus deliberately leaned back toward recognizable food. “We’re going with a chicken biryani because you know it,” Bullwinkel says of the AED 40 dish.

circus se ca-1 robot system

The Germany-based robotics and food technology company operates across eight countries, and Abu Dhabi is its first deployment outside Europe. More locations are expected there and in Dubai.

In Germany, its units can be placed in supermarkets, gas stations, airports and hospitals. In the Gulf, Bullwinkel wants them inside residential and office buildings, replacing some of the complexity of last-mile delivery. “We’re basically bringing a very tiny factory a few square meters into your building,” he says. Catering company Royal Prestige supplies the ingredients and knowledge of local tastes.

The CA-1 manages up to 36 refrigerated ingredient silos alongside automated induction cooking, robotic plating and a self-cleaning dishwasher. Two robotic arms move ingredients through the system with minimal human intervention. It can produce up to 120 hot meals an hour, and a meal such as rice and curry can take around three to four minutes.

Also Read: Ooredoo Qatar’s 5G+ Network Is Built For Machines As Much As People

Five cameras and multiple sensors monitor heat, temperature and consistency, an attempt to approximate what a chef perceives. “You can hear something gets burned, you can smell it, you can see it at some point,” Bullwinkel says. CircusOS, the company’s operating system, adjusts recipes in real time.

You might think of the platform as a threat to kitchen staff, but Bullwinkel frames Circus as a way for chefs to develop recipes and distribute them at scale. With that being said, rising labor costs and shortages are also part of his case for automation.