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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.
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.
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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
Noon And Yango Switch On Robot Deliveries In Dubai
The rollout folds autonomous couriers into noon’s rapid-delivery network as the UAE tests everyday autonomy.
Noon and Yango Group have signed an agreement to put autonomous robot deliveries into commercial use in Dubai, turning Yango’s earlier pilots into a daily service for noon Minutes orders. The launch in Sobha Hartland is the first full integration of Yango Autonomy’s electric robots with a major e-commerce network in the region, with wider deployment planned across Dubai and, later, other GCC markets.
Residents can choose a robot at checkout, track it in the app and unlock its compartment once it arrives. The hardware runs on Yango’s AI navigation and routing stack, which plans paths, avoids obstacles and yields to pedestrians. The units had already covered more than 1,500 kilometers during previous Dubai pilots, a test bed that demonstrated their ability to operate in mixed pedestrian environments and dense residential streets.
The rollout adds a contactless option to noon’s last-mile network and is positioned as extra capacity during peak periods. “Partnering with Yango Group lets us bring a future-ready delivery option straight to our customers,” said Ali Kafil-Hussain, noon’s Chief Business Officer. Noon has used Minutes to set rapid-delivery expectations in UAE cities; autonomous units now slot into that same high-frequency model.
Regulatory clearance from Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority underpins the move. The RTA authorized Yango’s robots to operate on public walkways and in neighborhoods, smoothing the shift from controlled trials to commercial work. Dubai has framed autonomous mobility as part of its smart-city buildout, and the partners lean on that agenda to accelerate integration.
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For Yango, the partnership is an anchor for its autonomy platform in the Gulf. Islam Abdul Karim, Yango’s Middle East regional head, said the aim is to make autonomous delivery an “everyday, reliable service” for UAE communities. The company views operational data from early districts as the basis for scaling into more communities and, eventually, cross-border rollouts.
The move lands as Gulf retailers search for faster fulfilment and lower-emission logistics. Autonomous couriers remain a small share of last-mile delivery, but Dubai’s approvals and early usage data give the partners a clearer path to turn pilots into durable infrastructure.
