The firm is all set to launch a drone delivery service in the UAE early in 2022, and this achievement elevates its credibility.

Over a decade after drones were first cleared for commercial operations in urban skies, the unmanned flying objects are on the way to become an essential tool for different sectors including healthcare, e-commerce and surveillance, since they can seamlessly deliver anything from medicines to packages, and even plant trees in the desert. The UAE has been making the most of these aerial gadgets, by using them to zap clouds for more rains, monitoring crowds during the pandemic, keeping an eye on crops in enclosed farms and for carrying out disaster relief in remote areas.

The rise of UAVs in defence, supply chains and for public safety, has prompted authorities in the Middle East to create frameworks for operation of these devices, and mechanisms that can act as air traffic control for drones above emerging smart cities. Now the Emirates has moved one step closer to the establishment of an efficient, glitch-free drone delivery infrastructure, thanks to the successful completion of the world’s longest ever return journey for a drone, by a local firm Barq EV.

By continuously hovering above Dubai to cover a distance of 18.065 kilometres for delivering a package before making its way back, the company’s drone has made it to the Guinness book of world records, marking another feat for the UAE in the world of tech. Backed by three entrepreneurs, the firm is all set to launch a drone delivery service in the UAE early in 2022, and this achievement elevates its credibility.

With this, Dubai can look forward to a future, where consumers will receive their orders within 30 minutes, thanks to a swift network of aerial vehicles, which can glide over traffic and surpass other logistical challenges. Barq’s ambitions are also in line with the drone transportation programme launched by Dubai’s crown prince Sheikh Hamdan last month.