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Drones successfully deliver postal and food parcels in Duqm

14 Oct 2021

Muscat – An unmanned aerial vehicle – drone – delivered a basket of food and beverages in Special Economic Zone at Duqm (SEZAD) this week. The experiment are part of efforts of the Public Authority for Special Economic Zones and Free Zones (OPAZ) to benefit from the technology of drones to improve services provided in free zones.

USA-based UVL Robotics, which specialises in advanced technologies, including artificial intelligence and drones, carried out two experiments in cooperation with Azim Technology Company, a local firm that provides artificial intelligence services and autonomous systems.

In the first phase of experiments, parcels and postal mail were delivered from the Oman Post office in Duqm to the headquarters of SEZAD.

The experiments were successful in delivering items within a few minutes covering an estimated distance of 11km.

In the second phase, a basket of food and beverages was delivered from the 911 Restaurant in Say commercial district to Renaissance Village, a distance of 6km. The experiment succeeded in delivering the food parcel in record time. In both phases, the team employed an electric drone that can fly 25km and carry a payload of up to 5kg.

UVL Robotics also provides infrastructure solutions for delivery services by offering drone landing stations that can accommodate over 30 parcels to save postal items separately. Being built with the latest technologies in the field, the drones connect to an electronic screen that makes it easier to conduct financial transactions and access product code.

Commenting on the experiments, Issa al Sumri of OPAZ said that this week’s experiment was part of a series of experiments which kicked off last month in SEZAD and reflect OPAZ’s efforts to encourage the use of artificial intelligence technologies.

Sumri explained that OPAZ has designated a dedicated zone for artificial intelligence and drone experiments in SEZAD, covering an 18sqkm area. All companies and individuals interested in conducting experiments in the zone can register through the OPAZ website.

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