Aramex, the Middle East’s largest courier company, has announced the successful completion of tests into a robot and drone delivery service in Dubai. The 16,000-employee company is currently researching emerging delivery technologies in a bid to boost sustainability and reduce its overall carbon footprint.

The initiative is part of the logistics company’s “future delivery program,” which aims to improve last-mile shipping by employing smart solutions for “quicker, sustainable and cost-effective deliveries”.

Initial tests took place at Rochester Institute of Technology in New York in partnership with Barq EV, a commercial drone delivery company based in the Emirates, and Kiwibot, a Colombia-based business specializing in delivery robotics.

“[The project] enables Aramex to further contribute to UAE’s sustainability ambitions as we embark on our mission to transition our fleet to emission-free vehicles and achieve our climate pledge to reach carbon neutrality by 2030,” says Alaa Saoudi, Aramex Chief Operating Officer.

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Aramex has already revealed plans to scale delivery services further to reach more customers across the MENA region, though there’s no firm timeline at the moment.

The drones and delivery robots used in Dubai will be equipped with multidirectional sensors. At the same time, fleet management software will help to synchronize and plan order placements, dispatch management, flight and road routing, and more.

According to data from research company Markets and Markets, the drone delivery market is estimated to be worth $228 million — a figure that will climb to $5.6 billion by 2030. e-Commerce giant Amazon has already started delivering some California and Texas packages by drone, and Walmart, the world’s biggest retailer, already offers autonomous delivery in some areas.