News

Faster Security Checks Are Coming To Dubai International Airport

DXB will deploy high-resolution 3D scanners by 2026 that let laptops and liquids stay in bags.

Published

1 year ago

October 3, 2025

faster security checks are coming to dubai international airport

Dubai International Airport will soon end the practice of removing laptops and liquids at security by May 2026, replacing its screening lines with new AI-powered scanners.

The upgrade stems from a deal signed last year with Smiths Detection to equip all three terminals with next-generation checkpoint systems. The machines use 3D imaging and artificial intelligence to spot threats, clearing bags without the need to separate electronics or bottles. Similar systems are being adopted at major European and US hubs, but DXB’s scale makes the rollout one of the most extensive in the industry.

Essa Al Shamsi, senior vice president for terminal operations, called the program “huge” noting it requires replacing around 140 machines and reworking infrastructure. “The introduction of this new technology will make travel easier, smoother, and stress-free as you don’t have to take anything out of your bag,” he said.

Testing is already underway in Terminal 3, home to Emirates. Once rolled out across the airport, the scanners are expected to speed up processing and cut queues at one of the world’s busiest hubs.

Also Read: Abu Dhabi’s TII Rolls Out Fiber Laser For Surgery And Industry

Traffic numbers continue to climb. DXB handled 46 million passengers in the first half of 2025, up 2.3% year on year, its busiest first half on record. The second quarter alone saw 22.5 million travelers, a 3.1% rise from the previous year. April was the busiest month of the quarter and the most active April ever recorded, with eight million passengers.

Dubai Airports is also working on AI systems to shorten aircraft turnaround times and raise efficiency on the ground. The combined effort anchors Dubai’s position as the leading international hub, as regional competitors in Doha and Istanbul expand capacity of their own. With demand at historic highs, the technology push signals how Gulf airports are scaling up to meet the next decade of growth.

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.