News

A Floating Drone Is Helping To Clean Up Dubai Harbor’s Waters

The PixieDrone cleanup robot is on a mission to collect difficult-to-detect debris.

Published

1 year ago

September 22, 2023

a floating drone is helping to clean up dubai harbor's waters

Dubai Harbor has employed an efficient new AI-powered worker to clean up its waters. The small, floating drone is called a PixieDrone — a waste collection machine fitted with a video camera and remote sensing LIDAR tech.

PixieDrone can operate autonomously for around six hours, collecting and sorting up to 160 liters of organic waste, plastic, glass, paper, metal, cloth, and rubber.

LIDAR (light detection and ranging) sees images in 3D, allowing PixieDrone to quickly understand its surroundings, much like the latest autonomous cars.

Created by French company Searial Cleaners, PixieDrone can travel at 3 kph for up to 12 km on a single charge. The company’s website does note that the robot can operate at a maximum ambient temperature of 50°C, which could eventually become an issue in the UAE’s sweltering summer heat.

Also Read: Google Is Developing An AI Cancer-Spotting Microscope

Measuring 1.62 by 1.15 meters, the robot cleaner is able to fit into tight spaces. Searial Cleaners says the device is specifically built for harbors and coastal aquatic areas.

PixieDrone is not the first waste collection floating drone to work in UAE waters. In 2018, Dubai Marina used WasteShark, made by the Dutch company RanMarine, to collect waste and test air and water quality.

News

“AI Seal” Certification Now Required For Dubai Gov Partnerships

The new mandatory certification is designed to build trust in AI companies and create a reliable network of providers for government and public collaboration.

Published

10 hours ago

January 21, 2025

Nour Nasir

ai seal certification now required for dubai gov partnerships

Dubai Media Office

Dubai has introduced the Dubai AI Seal, a certification designed to establish trust in artificial intelligence (AI) companies and solutions. This initiative, directed by Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and Deputy Prime Minister, aims to create a reliable network of AI providers which government entities and businesses can collaborate confidently.

Companies must now obtain the AI Seal to qualify for UAE or Dubai government contracts. The Dubai Centre for Artificial Intelligence (DCAI), which developed the certification, sees it as a competitive edge for companies looking to participate in key national projects. Once certified, businesses will be permitted to showcase the seal across their websites and marketing materials, signaling their credibility and dependability.

The evaluation process will consider six main criteria: the company’s services and operations, the number of employees specializing in AI, ongoing and future projects, as well as existing partnerships with public and private sector entities.

dubai ai seal certification

Khalfan Belhoul, CEO of the Dubai Future Foundation, which oversees the DCAI, commented on the initiative’s potential: “This initiative will help create powerful partnerships between the public and private sectors, locally, regionally, and globally. It will help drive new economic opportunities by leveraging AI to serve better the economy, society, and the future we aspire to”.

Also Read: Top Free AI Chatbots Available In The Middle East

The Dubai AI Seal’s goals include providing a clear framework for verifying AI providers, fostering business opportunities for AI companies, and acknowledging the industry’s strategic importance to Dubai’s economy. The initiative emphasizes AI’s role in driving economic growth, creating jobs, and strengthening collaboration between government bodies and technology firms.

All technology companies operating in Dubai and offering AI-related services or products are eligible to apply for the certification at no cost through the official website.