Muscat: A summit was held here today on 'Using Modern Drone Technologies' to discuss the practical applications of drones in water and sanitation, electricity, telecommunications, and urban planning. It also reviewed the latest innovations in this field. The opening ceremony was held under the auspices of Eng. Hamad Ali Al Nazwani, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Housing and Urban Planning for Housing. Organised by the Ibn Firnas Drone Center, the summit saw the participation of leading figures and experts from across the government, private and military sectors. The summit comes as part of Oman's efforts to promote the use of modern drone technologies and maximise their development benefits, while empowering start-ups to invest in promising technology sectors.
According to Oman News Agency, the event comes in line with efforts to position Oman as a regional hub for the drone industry. The event will become an annual platform to assess progress and showcase the latest innovations, opening broad horizons for the Omani economy in knowledge-based sectors, digital transformation, smart cities and artificial intelligence.
It is worth noting that the Ibn Firnas Drone Center is the first specialised drone centre in the Sultanate of Oman, having carried out more than 200 practical projects in Oman, supplied the local market with over 1,000 drones, and logged more than 7,000 flight hours. The centre provides integrated solutions covering sales, maintenance, training, industrial applications and anti-drone/radar technologies, making it a comprehensive hub for drone technologies in Oman.
The summit saw the first Middle East launch of the DJI Matrice 400 (M400) drone, produced by global UAV leader DJI. The event included a live demonstration of the aircraft and its capabilities in aerial surveying, 3D mapping, and its applications in urban planning, utilities, energy, telecommunications, agriculture and security.
This is the first summit of its kind in Oman to keep pace with the Fourth Industrial Revolution and future technologies, particularly in the drone domain, offering an annual platform for innovation, cooperation and knowledge sharing between national institutions and global companies. The event supports Oman's position as a regional centre for knowledge and technology, while supporting Oman Vision 2040 goals for a diversified, innovation-driven economy.