Dubai Allowed to Use Drones for Civil Defence

The UAE’s General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) gave the General Directorate of Civil Defence in Dubai approval to use unmanned aircraft systems to support its daily operations.

According to the officials, drone systems improve response of smart safety systems and security services. They will be used for firefighting purposes in hard-to-reach areas such as high-rise buildings, confined spaces, and warehouses containing hazardous materials.

Recently drone industry has been quickly developing in Dubai. The GCAA issued 180 operational approvals for drone systems during the first quarter of 2022, and the number of amateur registrants reached about 20,000. The authority also completed licensing 181 operators for commercial and government use, including 870 drones for the same purpose.

In 2021 Dubai also launched a programme to enable drone transportation.

"We have recognised the potential of drones in shaping the future early on, and started testing it in the UAE through attracting thousands of innovators in this field from 165 countries to participate in the UAE Drones for Good Award that we launched in 2014," said Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and Chairman of Dubai Executive Council.

The city government created a special zone in Dubai Silicon Oasis for innovators to develop and test new drone solutions and transform them into effective services.