A high-tech Israeli company hopes the UAE could become a major market for its new range of hydrogen drones, which will have potential uses in construction and the oil and gas sector.
HevenDrones is unveiling its first hydrogen-powered model at Idex, the International Defence Exhibition, which takes place at Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre from February 20 to 24.
Seen as more environmentally friendly, hydrogen-powered drones are also credited with being able to stay in the air for longer.
Bentzion Levinson, HevenDrones’ founder and chief executive, said drones were often limited to being flying cameras or flying sensors, but using them to deliver packages, food and medical items will become increasingly common.
The significant scale that we’re seeing in the UAE is a really, really big opportunity and we are in active discussions with some key players in the UAE
Bentzion Levinson
As capabilities improve, there will be more potential applications involving the carrying of larger payloads for heavy industry, he told The National.
Unlocking potential of new technology
"If we’re imagining the future, we [will] look up at the skies and see hundreds of thousands of drones flying out there and doing many, many tasks as part of our day-to-day life."
He said HevenDrones was in discussion with various potential partners in the Emirates and was even exploring whether it could assemble drones in the country.
"The significant scale that we’re seeing in the UAE is a really, really big opportunity and we are in active discussions with some key players in the UAE ... to both be able to support our drones and build an ecosystem, and this is both in the homeland security world and the commercial world," he said.
The drone market as a whole is set, he said, to experience "exponential growth", with HevenDrones expecting at least 100 per cent year-on-year sales increases as it introduces new models.
HevenDrones, which is currently focused on Israel and the US, was founded in 2019 and is based in Mevo Carmel Science and Industry Park south-east of the coastal city of Haifa in northern Israel.
A number of other companies offer hydrogen-powered drones, a key advantage of which is that they have the potential to remain in the air for longer or to undertake multiple short deliveries without refuelling.
While initial purchase prices for hydrogen-powered drones are currently higher, Mr Levinson said low operation costs made them cheaper in the long run.
"Hydrogen can be refuelled in minutes. It’s like going to a gas station and refuelling. And the price of hydrogen at scale is very cheap," he said.
One way that a hydrogen-powered drone in industry could be refuelled is through a portable electrolyser that uses electricity to generate hydrogen from moisture in the air.
"You could put it in your construction site or offshore rig," Mr Levinson said. "You would connect it and you would create hydrogen from the air."
Drones can be eco-friendly alternative
Using drones rather than vehicles to, for example, make deliveries has been described as more environmentally friendly, with a report by PwC saying that employing more of the craft could save 2.4 million tonnes of carbon emissions in the UK alone.
Hydrogen-powered drones in particular are said to offer environmental benefits because they do not require the mining of lithium for a battery, or subsequent battery disposal. They are additionally emissions free.
HevenDrones’ early drones could carry payloads of around 20lbs to 70lbs and could fly for a maximum of about half an hour.
H2D55, the model being shown for the first time at IDEX, has a payload of 7kg and can stay in the air for 100 minutes.
Later this year the company plans to unveil two hydrogen-powered drone models with greater carrying capabilities but still with the ability to fly for longer periods.
Ultimately drones able to carry larger payloads for hours will be released and the company expects hydrogen-powered craft to account for as much as 95 per cent of sales in the long term.
The regulatory environment currently limits some commercial and other uses of drones, Mr Levinson said. In some instances, such as ship-to-shore transit, where flying takes place over a body of water rather than over inhabited land, there are fewer restrictions.
As well as new uses in the construction, mining and oil-and-gas sectors, he said that drones would find a growing range of applications on solar farms, such as for the cleaning and even installation of panels.
Flying to the rescue
During the Covid-19 pandemic, HevenDrones assisted the Israeli authorities with the delivery of medical supplies.
"We were one of the first companies in Israel to do the Covid deliveries by drone," Mr Levinson said. "We worked with the Israeli government on delivering Covid test kits. That was a very interesting project."
Potential medical uses in future could even include, Mr Levinson said, delivering a defibrillator to the site of an emergency.
Other potential applications include crop spraying, measuring the nutrient levels in soil, and surveying land for reforestation projects.
The defence industry is another sector that is increasingly using drones, with possible uses for the craft including carrying out surveillance and delivering medical supplies, food and ammunition.
Dubai start-up developing drones for healthcare market - in pictures
Frida%20
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ENGLAND TEAM
England (15-1)
George Furbank; Jonny May, Manu Tuilagi, Owen Farrell (capt), Elliot Daly; George Ford, Ben Youngs; Tom Curry, Sam Underhill, Courtney Lawes; Charlie Ewels, Maro Itoje; Kyle Sinckler, Jamie George, Joe Marler
Replacements: Luke Cowan-Dickie, Ellis Genge, Will Stuart, George Kruis, Lewis Ludlam, Willi Heinz, Ollie Devoto, Jonathan Joseph
GAC GS8 Specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo
Power: 248hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 400Nm at 1,750-4,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 9.1L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh149,900
CONFIRMED%20LINE-UP
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2025 Fifa Club World Cup groups
Group A: Palmeiras, Porto, Al Ahly, Inter Miami.
Group B: Paris Saint-Germain, Atletico Madrid, Botafogo, Seattle.
Group C: Bayern Munich, Auckland City, Boca Juniors, Benfica.
Group D: Flamengo, ES Tunis, Chelsea, (Leon banned).
Group E: River Plate, Urawa, Monterrey, Inter Milan.
Group F: Fluminense, Borussia Dortmund, Ulsan, Mamelodi Sundowns.
Group G: Manchester City, Wydad, Al Ain, Juventus.
Group H: Real Madrid, Al Hilal, Pachuca, Salzburg.
Glossary of a stock market revolution
Reddit
A discussion website
Redditor
The users of Reddit
Robinhood
A smartphone app for buying and selling shares
Short seller
Selling a stock today in the belief its price will fall in the future
Short squeeze
Traders forced to buy a stock they are shorting
Naked short
An illegal practice
How to invest in gold
Investors can tap into the gold price by purchasing physical jewellery, coins and even gold bars, but these need to be stored safely and possibly insured.
A cheaper and more straightforward way to benefit from gold price growth is to buy an exchange-traded fund (ETF).
Most advisers suggest sticking to “physical” ETFs. These hold actual gold bullion, bars and coins in a vault on investors’ behalf. Others do not hold gold but use derivatives to track the price instead, adding an extra layer of risk. The two biggest physical gold ETFs are SPDR Gold Trust and iShares Gold Trust.
Another way to invest in gold’s success is to buy gold mining stocks, but Mr Gravier says this brings added risks and can be more volatile. “They have a serious downside potential should the price consolidate.”
Mr Kyprianou says gold and gold miners are two different asset classes. “One is a commodity and the other is a company stock, which means they behave differently.”
Mining companies are a business, susceptible to other market forces, such as worker availability, health and safety, strikes, debt levels, and so on. “These have nothing to do with gold at all. It means that some companies will survive, others won’t.”
By contrast, when gold is mined, it just sits in a vault. “It doesn’t even rust, which means it retains its value,” Mr Kyprianou says.
You may already have exposure to gold miners in your portfolio, say, through an international ETF or actively managed mutual fund.
You could spread this risk with an actively managed fund that invests in a spread of gold miners, with the best known being BlackRock Gold & General. It is up an incredible 55 per cent over the past year, and 240 per cent over five years. As always, past performance is no guide to the future.
What drives subscription retailing?
Once the domain of newspaper home deliveries, subscription model retailing has combined with e-commerce to permeate myriad products and services.
The concept has grown tremendously around the world and is forecast to thrive further, according to UnivDatos Market Insights’ report on recent and predicted trends in the sector.
The global subscription e-commerce market was valued at $13.2 billion (Dh48.5bn) in 2018. It is forecast to touch $478.2bn in 2025, and include the entertainment, fitness, food, cosmetics, baby care and fashion sectors.
The report says subscription-based services currently constitute “a small trend within e-commerce”. The US hosts almost 70 per cent of recurring plan firms, including leaders Dollar Shave Club, Hello Fresh and Netflix. Walmart and Sephora are among longer established retailers entering the space.
UnivDatos cites younger and affluent urbanites as prime subscription targets, with women currently the largest share of end-users.
That’s expected to remain unchanged until 2025, when women will represent a $246.6bn market share, owing to increasing numbers of start-ups targeting women.
Personal care and beauty occupy the largest chunk of the worldwide subscription e-commerce market, with changing lifestyles, work schedules, customisation and convenience among the chief future drivers.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Tips for newlyweds to better manage finances
All couples are unique and have to create a financial blueprint that is most suitable for their relationship, says Vijay Valecha, chief investment officer at Century Financial. He offers his top five tips for couples to better manage their finances.
Discuss your assets and debts: When married, it’s important to understand each other’s personal financial situation. It’s necessary to know upfront what each party brings to the table, as debts and assets affect spending habits and joint loan qualifications. Discussing all aspects of their finances as a couple prevents anyone from being blindsided later.
Decide on the financial/saving goals: Spouses should independently list their top goals and share their lists with one another to shape a joint plan. Writing down clear goals will help them determine how much to save each month, how much to put aside for short-term goals, and how they will reach their long-term financial goals.
Set a budget: A budget can keep the couple be mindful of their income and expenses. With a monthly budget, couples will know exactly how much they can spend in a category each month, how much they have to work with and what spending areas need to be evaluated.
Decide who manages what: When it comes to handling finances, it’s a good idea to decide who manages what. For example, one person might take on the day-to-day bills, while the other tackles long-term investments and retirement plans.
Money date nights: Talking about money should be a healthy, ongoing conversation and couples should not wait for something to go wrong. They should set time aside every month to talk about future financial decisions and see the progress they’ve made together towards accomplishing their goals.
More from Rashmee Roshan Lall
Volvo ES90 Specs
Engine: Electric single motor (96kW), twin motor (106kW) and twin motor performance (106kW)
Power: 333hp, 449hp, 680hp
Torque: 480Nm, 670Nm, 870Nm
On sale: Later in 2025 or early 2026, depending on region
Price: Exact regional pricing TBA
UAE v Gibraltar
What: International friendly
When: 7pm kick off
Where: Rugby Park, Dubai Sports City
Admission: Free
Online: The match will be broadcast live on Dubai Exiles’ Facebook page
UAE squad: Lucas Waddington (Dubai Exiles), Gio Fourie (Exiles), Craig Nutt (Abu Dhabi Harlequins), Phil Brady (Harlequins), Daniel Perry (Dubai Hurricanes), Esekaia Dranibota (Harlequins), Matt Mills (Exiles), Jaen Botes (Exiles), Kristian Stinson (Exiles), Murray Reason (Abu Dhabi Saracens), Dave Knight (Hurricanes), Ross Samson (Jebel Ali Dragons), DuRandt Gerber (Exiles), Saki Naisau (Dragons), Andrew Powell (Hurricanes), Emosi Vacanau (Harlequins), Niko Volavola (Dragons), Matt Richards (Dragons), Luke Stevenson (Harlequins), Josh Ives (Dubai Sports City Eagles), Sean Stevens (Saracens), Thinus Steyn (Exiles)
RESULTS
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