Pioneering Innovation in Abu Dhabi’s Tech and Defence Sectors

Khamis Mubarak Al Araimi, Materials Science Engineer at Sindan, said that the corporate’s participation inside the pavilion of the Tawazun Council for Defence Enablement displays its dedication to supporting the nationwide defence industrial ecosystem, highlighting its modern capabilities, and strengthening integration with nationwide entities concerned in creating the defence sector. He famous that Sindan is unveiling new developments this 12 months in the Sindan Robot, that includes enhanced autonomy and effectivity, in addition to a multi-mission UAV and superior 3D printing options that speed up manufacturing and enhance operational readiness. These improvements, he defined, align with Tawazun Council’s technique to localise defence industries by specializing in home manufacturing, constructing nationwide capabilities, and strengthening in-country provide chains.

Khalifa University of Science and Technology showcased a spread of superior analysis and next-generation applied sciences in robotics, synthetic intelligence, unmanned aerial autos, and safe methods throughout UMEX and SimTEX. Its deployment-ready improvements in autonomous navigation, mission planning, and real-time information analytics attracted sturdy curiosity from guests. These included electrical vertical take-off and touchdown (eVTOL) plane (A-025) used for cloud seeding and firefighting operations, neuromorphic floor autos, and AI-based airspace safety methods.

In collaboration with the National Service and Reserve Authority, elite programme recruits on the college introduced 5 tasks throughout the exhibitions.

Khalifa University Enterprises, the college’s commercialisation arm, introduced three promising expertise ideas, together with an AI-enabled hybrid electrical energy and propulsion system for drones and superior air mobility eVTOL platforms, in addition to a vision-based tactile sensor for assessing fruit ripeness and freshness with out inflicting harm. The firm additionally highlighted the efforts of DroneLeaf, a college spin-off translating years of scientific analysis into AI software program options for unmanned methods.

Professor Ebrahim Al Hajri, President of Khalifa University, mentioned the college’s participation displays its dedication to creating applied sciences that rework superior analysis into sensible, impactful options at each nationwide and world ranges. These applied sciences underscore the college’s management in protected and superior air mobility. The college additionally showcased a lunar probe developed by its Advanced Innovation and Research Center.

The exhibitions additionally featured the NeuroWave AI platform, supported by fifth-generation (5G) telecommunications expertise, alongside options by OthrEd, GenAI, and Wideye aimed toward enhancing airspace safety in sensible cities.

The Dubai Civil Aviation Authority (DCAA) is collaborating in each exhibitions, showcasing its newest improvements and sensible methods supporting the civil aviation sector.

Mohammed Abdullah Lengawi, Director General of DCAA, mentioned the participation represents a strategic step to strengthen the Authority’s presence at some of the distinguished exhibitions specialising in unmanned plane methods. He highlighted the DCAA Monitoring System (DMS), in addition to the drone supply challenge, which accomplished greater than 784 deliveries throughout its first section.

 As a part of the transfer in direction of sensible mobility, air taxi tasks nearing operational launch had been highlighted, most notably the Taxi Drone developed by Multi Level Group, an electrically powered, remotely operated aerial car.

UMEX and SimTEX 2026 embody Abu Dhabi’s method of fostering innovation and deploying superior applied sciences. This comes simply weeks after the DRIFTx Exhibition, held in November, which highlighted robotics and their pivotal position in enhancing logistics, superior manufacturing, and sensible city mobility options. By integrating robotics with aerial, land, and maritime mobility options, DRIFTx symbolised Abu Dhabi’s strategic route towards merging industrial innovation with future mobility options.

The organisation of UMEX and SimTEX shortly after the conclusion of DRIFTx varieties a part of the efforts led by the Smart and Autonomous Vehicles Industry (SAVI) Cluster to strengthen Abu Dhabi’s management in innovating and deploying cutting-edge transportation and sensible mobility applied sciences.

 These exhibitions spotlight Abu Dhabi’s quite a few aggressive benefits, together with its built-in enterprise ecosystem, supportive insurance policies, and superior infrastructure, which collectively present a super surroundings for firms to ascertain operations in the emirate and increase globally.

DRIFTx performed a pivotal position in supporting the Abu Dhabi Investment Office’s technique to draw main world firms, assist the expansion of superior industries, and create high-value, knowledge-based jobs in strategic sectors. Experts estimate that the SAVI cluster will contribute roughly AED 44 billion to the emirate’s GDP and generate greater than 35,000 jobs by 2045.

Innovation in these fields is centred on integrating synthetic intelligence with autonomous methods to allow aerial autos akin to eVTOLs, self-driving floor autos, sensible manufacturing options (Industry 4.0), and superior air mobility ecosystems. AI is leveraged to boost automation, autonomous decision-making, and effectivity in mobility and manufacturing, with a powerful give attention to sensible functions akin to robotics, heavy-lift drones, and autonomous companies in sensible cities.

Key Areas of Innovation Include:

Together, these areas kind an built-in sensible metropolis ecosystem characterised by sustainability and effectivity, with a powerful emphasis on real-world functions that transcend pilot demonstrations towards full-scale operational deployment.