Commercial drone operation kicks off in Dubai
- 17 Dec 2024
Jamil Khan, Senior Reporter
Delivery of essential items by drones have started as its phase one operation in Dubai Silicon Oasis (DSO) on Tuesday after receiving the UAE's first commercial licence for Beyond Visual Line of Sight (BVLOS) from Dubai Civil Aviation Authority (DCAA).
The first firm which got the certificate is Keeta Drone, a subsidiary of Chinese technology and retail company Meituan, as it became the first Chinese drone logistics operator to secure an overseas licence, marking a significant leap in its global expansion.
Sheikh Hamdan Bin Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence of the UAE, and Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Dubai Future Foundation (DFF),on Tuesday launched the Keeta Drone delivery service, the first-of-its-kind in the Middle East, at Dubai Silicon Oasis (DSO).
Keeta Drone unveiled four operational drone delivery routes at DSO, serving key locations such as Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT-Dubai) and Dubai Digital Park.
These routes will facilitate fast and efficient delivery of food, medicine, and other essential items. This marks the company’s first major international venture, leveraging its advanced autonomous drones to deliver seamless logistics solutions.
Sheikh Hamdan placed the first order using the Keeta Drone delivery system through the platform from RIT-Dubai, one of the landing points within DSO’s drone delivery network. The order was successfully delivered from one of the take-off points in the community.
Sheikh Hamdan reaffirmed Dubai’s commitment to developing advanced infrastructure and fostering an innovative environment to enhance smart logistics and cutting-edge air transport solutions, aligned with the vision of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, to establish Dubai as a leader among future-ready cities.
Sheikh Hamdan said: “We continue to support projects that drive a diversified, flexible digital economy by leveraging advanced technology in Dubai and empowering the aviation and air transport sectors. Our strategy places a high priority on strengthening public-private partnerships to catalyse research and development (R&D), sustainable growth, and smart mobility. This aligns with the Dubai Economic Agenda D33, which aims to position Dubai among the world’s top three urban economies.”
Safe, reliable, and efficient logistics solutions tailored for urban environments
Keeta Drone’s M-Drone Gen 3, a six-rotor drone with a maximum load capacity of 2.3kg, is at the forefront of DSO’s drone delivery network. Combined with a proprietary intelligent dispatch system and automated ground infrastructure, the drones provide safe, reliable, and efficient logistics solutions tailored for urban environments.
Dr Yinian Mao, Vice President of Meituan and President of Keeta Drone, remarked: "The UAE’s progressive policies and robust support for technological innovation have played a pivotal role in enabling our operations here. Dubai’s high demand for on-demand delivery services and the operational challenges posed by its extreme weather underscore the potential for drone delivery to enhance efficiency and reliability. We are confident that Keeta Drone's services will redefine urban logistics, improving both customer experiences and industry resilience."
Meituan was founded in Beijing in 2010 to champion digital innovation in retail, working with partners to deliver high-quality consumer services, with on-demand delivery as a core offering.
The company began exploring drones for seamless air-ground local deliveries in 2017 and launched its first commercial delivery service in Shenzhen, China in 2021. As of December 2024, Keeta Drone operates 53 routes in major Chinese cities, including Beijing, Shenzhen, Shanghai, and Guangzhou, having completed over 400,000 deliveries. The service spans a variety of locations—offices, residential areas, tourist spots, parks, campuses, and libraries—offering customers a selection of over 90,000 products.
The company's drone logistics system includes autonomous aerial drones, an intelligent dispatch system, and a highly efficient operational framework, creating an urban low-altitude logistics solution adaptable to various scenarios and weather conditions.
At GITEX Global 2023, Keeta Drone announced its participation in the "Dubai Experimental Zone: BVLOS Drone Delivery Program", jointly initiated by DCAA and Dubai Future Foundation. After rigorous reviews, operational validations, and extensive local adaptations, the company achieved final certification in 2024, cementing its status as a trusted provider of BVLOS drone delivery services in the UAE.
The DCAA certification reflects Keeta Drone’s excellence in operational standards, safety protocols, and service quality across all facets of drone logistics, solidifying its reputation as a pioneer in the global drone delivery ecosystem.
As part of its collaboration with notable partners like Fakeeh University Hospital, Americana, and Rochester Institute of Technology, Keeta Drone is exploring expanded use cases of drone technology, including emergency services and high-priority medical deliveries.
Dr Mohaymen Abdelghany, CEO of Fakeeh University Hospital UAE commented: "Launching drone delivery for medications has been transformative. Drones provide a reliable and timely solution for critical needs such as plasma delivery, where every second counts. We look forward to scaling this initiative across more medical applications."
At the vanguard of eco-friendly technology
In addition to improving the service experience, the emergence of drone delivery can also help cities be more environmentally friendly. Studies have shown that drones deliver 84% less greenhouse gas emissions per package than diesel trucks and consume 94% less energy. Based on the 2-3 km delivery distance commonly seen by drones, the carbon emission gap between drones and fuel vehicles is more than 10 times.
The environmental benefits of drone delivery at scale aligns with Keeta Drone’s global sustainability goals and its mission to be at the forefront of green tech.