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Dubai Survey Drones Explore Minerals In Central Asia
The UAVs reduce costs and boost efficiency by replacing helicopters and large teams of researchers and geophysicists.
Microavia, a UAE-based company established in Dubai in 2022, delivers drone-based solutions for security, monitoring, and surveying.
Now, the company is helping geologists and researchers explore mineral deposits in Central Asia and Kazakhstan. Microavia’s advanced aerial surveying platform, Fortis, provides detailed information about an area’s geological structure, reducing task times by half and drastically cutting costs.
“We have successfully concluded all preflight tests with Microavia Fortis. A special feature of their geodrone is their ability to stay in the air for up to 60 minutes. The drone can carry up to 12 kg of payload. [and has] shown high efficiency in conducting aeromagnetic surveys due to the stability of the flight direction even in strong winds and long flight time,” explained Kirill Bazhin, CEO of Geodevice Kazakhstan.
Microavia drones hover at low altitudes between 40 and 100 meters, scanning the ground in 400-meter-wide sections. Hundreds of miles of land can be surveyed in days instead of weeks or months, and mineral exploration missions can now be undertaken in previously inaccessible areas.
“Big thanks to Microavia for supplying us with their drones for Terra Exploration. The 45-minute flight time with the magnetometer is quite impressive! Moreover, their team provided us with a beneficial and enjoyable pilot course. I can’t wait to start using these drones in our work,” said Nikita Shaliuto, geophysicist of Terra Exploration.
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According to recent reports, aluminum, copper, gold, and lithium deposits fall short of anticipated demand. Central Asia, and especially Kazakhstan, has a vast unexplored reserve of minerals, and drone-based exploration can help speed up their extraction.
Microavia’s export of advanced UAVs is also bolstering efforts by the UAE to diversify its industrial sector from traditional oil, petroleum, and gas production.
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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.