Dubai
The market for drones in the Gulf Cooperation Council is expected to reach $1.5 billion by 2022, according to consulting firm Strategy&, however, a number of regulatory obstacles remain.
In Dubai, Sukhdev Singh, vice-president at market research and analysis services provider AMRB, said that the Dubai Civil Aviation Authority will restrict access to retail aerial drones only to those who have registered and are trained to operate the devices without posing a danger to others.
“[The market] will reach critical mass and adoption rate will increase when proper regulations are in place and the drone market matures. Drone-mounted sensors can be used to capture an impressive array of data, paving the way for increased digitalisation of industrial processes,” he said.
Singh said that drones are currently used for media monitoring and they have a significant advantage in terms of precision, convenience, and cost over more traditional solutions such as satellites and helicopters.
Moreover, many sectors, such as oil and gas industry and logistics, will benefit as leaders across a spectrum of industries are already availing themselves of drone-based data. Other sectors that expect to see growth include utilities, agriculture, and telecoms.
Jad Hajj, partner with Strategy& Middle East, said that telecom operators can leverage their existing capabilities and resources to offer advanced drone solutions to other sectors.
“With their extensive tower networks, [telcos] are able to provide constant connectivity which is crucial for data transfer. They have access to advanced cloud technologies which can be used for data storage, and are equipped with data processing systems to analyse information collected by the drones,” he said.
Michael Rudolph, Head of Airspace Safety Section at the DCAA, said new restrictions will go a long way to taking potentially drones out of sensitive airspace making flight paths in and out of the Dubai Airport safer for passenger travel.
To date, he said that there are around 1,000 registered drones with the DCAA as of April, including 60 commercial aerial devices.
“Airspace regulators are aware of the growth of drone technology, and are searching for balance between public safety and economic efficiency. Progress of drone legislation and regulation in the GCC is uneven, and therefore the main purpose of the drone traffic control centre is to serve as a centralised authority to manage drone traffic and ensure regulation is followed,” said Ramzi Khoury, principal with Strategy& Middle East.
