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A new type of drone helicopter that can operate in rough terrain, fly to remote locations and deliver payloads of up to 300kg has been unveiled at a major exhibition in Abu Dhabi.
The launch of the UAE-made heavy-duty cargo drone at the Unmanned Systems Exhibition and Conference (Umex) underlined how drones are entering the mainstream.
The remotely-piloted GY 300 is manufactured by UAE defence conglomerate Edge, and can drop vital medical supplies and help deliver humanitarian relief after a natural disaster, for example.
“What we have increasingly been seeing, particularly in autonomous spaces, is a real growing demand for logistics and transport capability,” Miles Chambers, Edge’s vice president of international business, told The National on Tuesday.
End users want to increasingly remove personnel from dangerous environments or areas that might be high risk
Miles Chambers,
vice president, Edge
“Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) have mainly been used for surveillance types of operations but increasingly we see demand to move cargo.”
The helicopter was one of three remotely-piloted vehicles launched by Edge along with the Bunker Pro, an unmanned ground vehicle that can be used for surveillance and patrols, and the M-Buggy that is used for imaging applications.
But the undoubted star of the show was the drone helicopter. It stood alongside other Edge military drones and just a short distance from a Turkish Bayraktar. Crowds of people went to the Edge pavilion, the largest at the event, to see it.
The GY 300 has a fuel engine; can travel up to 400km; and measures 2.8m by 5.1m by 1.2m. Its rotor diameter is 11m. It has a cruise speed of about 120 kph and a maximum speed of 160 kph and can operate at up to 3.6km (12,000ft). They tend to be custom made, depending on the order.
Mr Chambers said Edge had essentially taken the concept of a gyrocopter and turned it into an unmanned system known as a “autogyro”.
It is remotely-piloted but also has autonomous capabilities such as a flight path that can be programmed in advance. “No one is getting tired so you can continually use these for sustained operations,” he said.
Mr Chambers noted the drone market had been in existence for decades, which meant it was already quite mature, but now these systems are increasingly being used in civil applications as much as military ones. Take, for example, a company or entity wishing to monitor an oil or gas pipeline.
“Historically one would deploy a lot of people, either on the ground with vehicles or by using a [manned] helicopter to go and see if there is any damage or any leaks in the pipeline. Today you can deploy UAVs,” he said.
“Our unmanned ground vehicles, for example, can be used [for] logistics resupply, medical evacuation, and even for things such as border patrol.
“Instead of hundreds of personnel to do that, you can use technology to your advantage and only deploy people where they need to be. It is about using technology to be able to deal with what used to be mundane, routine tasks.”
Edge did not disclose a cost for the drone helicopter but it is ready for the market. Typical customers for this type of product tend to be government agencies as UAVs are becoming “more and more mainstream”.
“We see an increasing usage of UAVs in what traditionally would have been performed by manned aircraft – be that in a military application or civil application,” said Mr Chambers.
“End users want to increasingly remove personnel from dangerous environments or areas that might be high risk. And being able to use autonomous systems to do that, obviously, is an advantage to everyone.”
Umex is running alongside the Simulation and Training Exhibition (Simtex) and, according to the organisers, is the biggest event in its history with an expected 214 companies from 35 countries present.
Eleven countries are participating for the first time and about 18,000 attendees are expected.
The event, which concludes on Thursday, also includes live shows, aerial shows off site at Sweihan Hills and talks from industry experts.
The specs
Engine: 4.0-litre V8 twin-turbocharged and three electric motors
Power: Combined output 920hp
Torque: 730Nm at 4,000-7,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed dual-clutch automatic
Fuel consumption: 11.2L/100km
On sale: Now, deliveries expected later in 2025
Price: expected to start at Dh1,432,000
The specs
Engine: 4.0-litre flat-six
Torque: 450Nm at 6,100rpm
Transmission: 7-speed PDK auto or 6-speed manual
Fuel economy, combined: 13.8L/100km
On sale: Available to order now
NYBL PROFILE
Company name: Nybl
Date started: November 2018
Founder: Noor Alnahhas, Michael LeTan, Hafsa Yazdni, Sufyaan Abdul Haseeb, Waleed Rifaat, Mohammed Shono
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: Software Technology / Artificial Intelligence
Initial investment: $500,000
Funding round: Series B (raising $5m)
Partners/Incubators: Dubai Future Accelerators Cohort 4, Dubai Future Accelerators Cohort 6, AI Venture Labs Cohort 1, Microsoft Scale-up
What the law says
Micro-retirement is not a recognised concept or employment status under Federal Decree Law No. 33 of 2021 on the Regulation of Labour Relations (as amended) (UAE Labour Law). As such, it reflects a voluntary work-life balance practice, rather than a recognised legal employment category, according to Dilini Loku, senior associate for law firm Gateley Middle East.
“Some companies may offer formal sabbatical policies or career break programmes; however, beyond such arrangements, there is no automatic right or statutory entitlement to extended breaks,” she explains.
“Any leave taken beyond statutory entitlements, such as annual leave, is typically regarded as unpaid leave in accordance with Article 33 of the UAE Labour Law. While employees may legally take unpaid leave, such requests are subject to the employer’s discretion and require approval.”
If an employee resigns to pursue micro-retirement, the employment contract is terminated, and the employer is under no legal obligation to rehire the employee in the future unless specific contractual agreements are in place (such as return-to-work arrangements), which are generally uncommon, Ms Loku adds.
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Penalties: B Barrett
British & Irish Lions 15
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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Short-term let permits explained
Homeowners and tenants are allowed to list their properties for rental by registering through the Dubai Tourism website to obtain a permit.
Tenants also require a letter of no objection from their landlord before being allowed to list the property.
There is a cost of Dh1,590 before starting the process, with an additional licence fee of Dh300 per bedroom being rented in your home for the duration of the rental, which ranges from three months to a year.
Anyone hoping to list a property for rental must also provide a copy of their title deeds and Ejari, as well as their Emirates ID.
The specs: 2018 Audi R8 V10 RWS
Price: base / as tested: From Dh632,225
Engine: 5.2-litre V10
Gearbox: Seven-speed automatic
Power: 540hp @ 8,250rpm
Torque: 540Nm @ 6,500rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 12.4L / 100km
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BRIGHTON 0
MANCHESTER UNITED 3
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Mata 73'
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Engine: 3.4-litre twin-turbo V6 plus supplementary electric motor
Power: 464hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 790Nm from 2,000-3,600rpm
Transmission: 10-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 11.7L/100km
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Name: Qyubic
Started: October 2023
Founder: Namrata Raina
Based: Dubai
Sector: E-commerce
Current number of staff: 10
Investment stage: Pre-seed
Initial investment: Undisclosed
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Transmission: ten-speed
Power: 420bhp
Torque: 624Nm
Price: Dh325,125
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Biog
Mr Kandhari is legally authorised to conduct marriages in the gurdwara
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2019 is a milestone because he completes 50 years in business
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Director: Neeraj Pandey
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SPECS
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Engine: 2.0-litre 4-cyl turbo
Power: 247hp at 6,500rpm
Torque: 370Nm from 1,500-3,500rpm
Transmission: 10-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 7.8L/100km
Price: from Dh94,900
On sale: now
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