Watch: Two drones race through an empty mall in Dubai


Janice Rodrigues
  • English
  • Arabic

It is no secret that we love our malls here in the UAE.

While people are isolating and practising social distancing, trips to the mall are clearly not what they used to be. But for those feeling a bit nostalgic for their favourite hangouts, Nakheel Mall, located on Dubai's Palm Jumeirah, has partnered with pro-drone pilots Ryan Copeland and Vladimir Ivanov to release a one-off video.

Residents can get a glimpse at what it's like to be inside a completely empty mall. As seen in the video, the pilots raced their drones up and down escalators, around fountains and past some of the mall's major attractions and stores.

To create the footage, the pilots were given access to the mall for a night, with the whole of it filmed within four hours.

“For a drone pilot, this was a great venue and a great opportunity to do something that would not normally be allowed. When we were told we would have exclusive access, we jumped at the chance,” says Copeland.

“We wanted to turn the challenge of the mall closure into an opportunity to highlight the talent and creativity of these drone pilots,” says Omar Khoory, Managing Director, Nakheel Malls. He also says that Covid-19 safety procedures were followed during the exercise.

While the mall is temporarily closed, the Waitrose and pharmacies within are open as per the government's directives. Restaurants are also open for home delivery.Khoory
Nakheel Mall is one of the newest entertainment destinations in Dubai, having opened on Palm Jumeirah last November.

Ms Yang's top tips for parents new to the UAE
  1. Join parent networks
  2. Look beyond school fees
  3. Keep an open mind

Left Bank: Art, Passion and Rebirth of Paris 1940-1950

Agnes Poirer, Bloomsbury

Specs
Engine: Electric motor generating 54.2kWh (Cooper SE and Aceman SE), 64.6kW (Countryman All4 SE)
Power: 218hp (Cooper and Aceman), 313hp (Countryman)
Torque: 330Nm (Cooper and Aceman), 494Nm (Countryman)
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh158,000 (Cooper), Dh168,000 (Aceman), Dh190,000 (Countryman)
BMW M5 specs

Engine: 4.4-litre twin-turbo V-8 petrol enging with additional electric motor

Power: 727hp

Torque: 1,000Nm

Transmission: 8-speed auto

Fuel consumption: 10.6L/100km

On sale: Now

Price: From Dh650,000

EXPATS
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDirector%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Lulu%20Wang%26nbsp%3B%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EStars%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Nicole%20Kidman%2C%20Sarayu%20Blue%2C%20Ji-young%20Yoo%2C%20Brian%20Tee%2C%20Jack%20Huston%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%204%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
War 2

Director: Ayan Mukerji

Stars: Hrithik Roshan, NTR, Kiara Advani, Ashutosh Rana

Rating: 2/5