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Dubai Hospital Delivery Drone Completes Successful First Trial
The unmanned aerial vehicle allows the hospital to rapidly deliver medications to patients, saving lives in emergencies.
Fakheeh University Hospital in Dubai has made history by flying a delivery of medicine to a patient’s house in Cedre Villas (Dubai Silicon Oasis) using a small, unmanned drone.
The groundbreaking achievement followed a series of trials in collaboration with the Dubai Future Foundation (DFF) and the Dubai Civil Aviation Authority (DCAA).
The introduction of drone deliveries represents a significant shift in healthcare accessibility. The small aerial craft could also prove life-saving in emergency situations, as they can quickly zip to their destination without having to worry about traffic jams or search for helicopter-sized landing spaces.
Fakeeh University Hospital CEO, Dr Fatih Mehmet Gul, was rightfully proud of the technological achievement: “Since our establishment, we have consistently embraced technological advancements to provide innovative services. However, this initiative marks a substantial leap forward in enhancing healthcare accessibility and achieving complete digitalization”.
Drone use also significantly reduces the hospital’s carbon footprint compared to traditional delivery methods — a factor that is especially important to the Dubai Integrated Economic Zones Authority and the 2040 Urban Master Plan.
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Director-general of Dubai Silicon Oasis, Dr Juma Al Matrooshi, said, “In line with our role within the Dubai Programme to Enable Drone Transportation, we are committed to empowering entities from the UAE and abroad to develop and test new drone solutions that boost efficiency and convenience”.
In 2021, the Crown Prince of Dubai, Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed, announced a program that would enable the use of drones in multiple sectors, including shipping, food logistics, health, and security, with the aim of boosting global competitiveness and innovation within the Emirate.
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UAE Prepares To Launch Two Satellites: Thuraya-2 And MBZ-SAT
HH Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum chaired the first meeting of the Supreme Space Council yesterday.
HH Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and Deputy Prime Minister of the UAE, chaired the first meeting of the Supreme Space Council in Dubai on December 16, 2024. The session highlighted the UAE’s ambitious space plans and took stock of the sector’s economic progress.
The council emphasized the growing role of private companies in advancing space technologies, noting that their contributions are now equal to that of the public sector. Members also praised initiatives like the Space Economic Zones Programme, which are designed to fuel innovation and investment in the space industry.
خلال ترؤسنا الاجتماع الأول للمجلس الأعلى للفضاء، بحثنا الاستثمارات الوطنية والمشاريع المقبلة في قطاع الفضاء والذي يشهد تطوراً مستمراً… وجددنا التزامنا بدعم ومواصلة تنفيذ برامج طموحة لاستكشاف الفضاء الخارجي حيث وصل حجم الاستثمارات في هذا القطاع إلى 40 مليار درهم خلال السنوات… pic.twitter.com/etJ33OnuSu
— Hamdan bin Mohammed (@HamdanMohammed) December 16, 2024
Discussing the UAE’s space journey, HH Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum remarked, “The national space sector continues to grow and advance, and we take immense pride in the remarkable achievements we have accomplished over the years”.
Sheikh Hamdan also received updates on two upcoming satellite projects: Thuraya-2 and MBZ-SAT. Thuraya-2, developed by Space42, is slated for launch this December. Meanwhile, the MBZ-SAT, created by the Mohammed Bin Rashid Space Centre (MBRSC), will soon follow. MBRSC, a major driver of the UAE National Space Programme, continues to lead the nation’s space-related developments.
Space42 took the opportunity to showcase its advancements, including ongoing collaborations between public and private entities. The company also outlined strategies to promote innovation, boost revenue streams, and create new opportunities for growth in the sector.
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The UAE’s current projects build on a growing legacy of space exploration. Back in 2020, the nation made headlines with its Mars mission, successfully sending a probe into the planet’s orbit in 2021. This mission, which is now in its second phase as of June 2024, has been collecting critical data to develop a comprehensive diurnal image of Mars.
The UAE also ventured into lunar exploration with an unmanned mission aimed at studying untouched regions of the Moon’s surface. While the probe ultimately crashed during its landing attempt after communication was lost seconds before touchdown, the effort represented a significant step in the country’s exploration ambitions.
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