Dubai hosts first successful trial of medication delivery via drones at Dubai Silicon Oasis
DUBAI: Dubai saw the completion of the first successful trial of medical delivery via drones at the Dubai Silicon Oasis (DSO), in yet another unique public-private sector partnership that raises the city’s global competitiveness as a hub for advanced technologies and smart applications.
The completion of the trial makes Fakeeh University Hospital, an academic-focused smart healthcare facility based in DSO, the first healthcare provider in the Middle East to leverage drone technology for medication delivery. The step further strengthens the Hospital’s position as a leading healthcare institution in the UAE and the wider region.
The trial is also in line with the objectives of the ‘Dubai Programme to Enable Drone Transportation’ launched by H.H. Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and Chairman of Dubai Executive Council, in 2021, aimed at increasing the efficiency of transportation services by utilising drones for various purposes. The Programme seeks to provide an advanced infrastructure that enables innovators and relevant entities to test new drone solutions in designated areas.
The game-changing achievement took place within a 10-kilometre radius, transporting medication from the hospital to a patient’s home in Cedre Villas project, a gated community of luxury villas in the heart of DSO. It follows a series of year-long trials conducted at Dubai Silicon Oasis, the special economic zone for knowledge and innovation and a member of the Dubai Integrated Economic Zones Authority (DIEZ), in collaboration with the Dubai Future Foundation (DFF), and the Dubai Civil Aviation Authority (DCAA).
The Dubai Integrated Economic Zones Authority has provided crucial support in establishing Dubai Silicon Oasis as an ideal environment for testing innovative and smart technology solutions. Building upon this conducive ecosystem, Fakeeh University Hospital has taken a pioneering step in its commitment to embracing cutting-edge solutions to enhance patient care.
Dr. Juma Al Matrooshi, Director-General of Dubai Silicon Oasis, said, “As a knowledge and innovation hub within the Dubai 2040 Urban Master Plan, Dubai Silicon Oasis is renowned for supporting the development and piloting of innovative and smart technology solutions. 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.”