They can drive an injured soldier to safety, swarm like insects and surf the world’s oceans — and they are neither living nor controlled by humans. This isn't a riddle; it’s the drone technology on display in Abu Dhabi this week.
Umex 2020 is under way in the capital, with 163 companies from 63 countries displaying their wares for the booming drone industry, providing a sense of where the technology is at amid its rapid evolution.
While the first unmanned aircraft was built by Americans during the First World War (nicknamed ‘The Bug’, it never saw combat), it took nearly another century for drones to become a mainstream part of modern warfare. With the advent of artificial intelligence and computer vision technology, the last two decades have seen a rapid rise in research and development and procurement of unmanned vehicles for both military and commercial use.
Umex organisers are expecting as many as 18,000 visitors, an increase of more than 50 per cent from the previous event held last year. Worldwide, military spending on drones is expected to reach $98 billion in the next decade, according to a recent report from the Teal Group, an aerospace and defence market analysis firm.
Investing in future technology “has become the most important area of investment, making a difference in the future progress and prosperity of countries”, Mohammed Al Bowardi, Minister of State for Defence Affairs, said in his opening address at Umex on Sunday.
Hyundai’s HR Sherpa is one of the most jarring sights at this year’s exhibition, because for all of the talk by the auto industry to bring driverless cars to roads, this system is getting fairly close. The ground vehicle is a driverless tank that can be operated by remote control or autonomously. It can carry up to 600 kilograms and attack if fitted with remote weapons systems, or be used for surveillance or transporting injured soldiers.
By sea, Boeing's Wave Glider is an autonomous, solar and wave-powered marine vehicle that can gather data for security or scientific purposes that were once too expensive and challenging to tackle. For government customers in the region, "critical infrastructure such as oil and gas pipelines, naval ships and military installations" can be monitored by the Wave Runner, James Buescher, head of business development at Liquid Robotics, the Boeing-owned company that makes the drones, told The National.
Oman's Research Council uses the Wave Glider in the Gulf of Oman, to help scientists and academic researchers better understand the flora and fauna in its waters.
China’s domestically manufactured helicopter drones are capable of swarming in formation, with payloads of grenade launchers and automatic weapons to perform co-ordinated strikes.
A spokesperson for Ziyan, the maker of the technology, told The National that swarming — mimicking insects — can overwhelm a target. The company is promoting autonomous take-off and landing, with up to 10 drones capable of engaging in co-ordinated combat at the same time, and the ability to carry different weapons systems.
The exhibition is decidedly geared towards the defence sector as broad use of consumer UAVs or drones-as-a-service has yet to take off. Regulations and infrastructure are failing to keep pace with advances in technology. But there are signs that this is about to change.
Two of the world’s biggest technology companies, Amazon and Google, have been developing drone delivery systems for much of the last decade. Since 2013, Amazon has been developing its own drones to deliver packages weighing up to 2kg, in 30 minutes or less, to customers within a flying range of 24km, according to CB Insights.
Last year, Abu Dhabi National Oil Company, in collaboration with France’s Total, said it planned to deploy drones and unmanned vehicles to collect 3-D seismic data as it expands its search for new oil and gas resources throughout the emirate of Abu Dhabi — the first time such technology will be used in the region
More recently, DJI, one of China’s biggest consumer and commercial drone manufacturers, adapted its agricultural spraying drones to spray disinfectant in potentially Coronavirus-affected areas.
"Drones can dramatically improve how China attempts to kill the virus in public areas: they can cover far more ground than traditional methods, while reducing risk to workers who would otherwise spend more time potentially exposed to both the virus and the disinfectant," the company told The National this month.
Loudspeakers were mounted on drones to help disperse public gatherings in crowded places, and other drones flew banners advising people on how take precautions, to curb the spread of COVID-19 in China.
“Assisting on the containment of a disease, while ensuring safety to personnel, was very difficult to do in the past,” said Romeo Durscher, senior director of public safety integration at DJI. “This was a complete grass roots movement. Users inspired us to take action, and it was worth the effort.”
The Case For Trump
By Victor Davis Hanson
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- 600-seat auditorium
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- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
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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.
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.
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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)
The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4-cyl, 48V hybrid
Transmission: eight-speed automatic
Power: 325bhp
Torque: 450Nm
Price: Dh359,000
On sale: now
'Morbius'
Director: Daniel Espinosa
Stars: Jared Leto, Matt Smith, Adria Arjona
Rating: 2/5
What vitamins do we know are beneficial for living in the UAE
Vitamin D: Highly relevant in the UAE due to limited sun exposure; supports bone health, immunity and mood.
Vitamin B12: Important for nerve health and energy production, especially for vegetarians, vegans and individuals with absorption issues.
Iron: Useful only when deficiency or anaemia is confirmed; helps reduce fatigue and support immunity.
Omega-3 (EPA/DHA): Supports heart health and reduces inflammation, especially for those who consume little fish.
The team
Photographer: Mateusz Stefanowski at Art Factory
Videographer: Jear Valasquez
Fashion director: Sarah Maisey
Make-up: Gulum Erzincan at Art Factory
Model: Randa at Art Factory Videographer’s assistant: Zanong Magat
Photographer’s assistant: Sophia Shlykova
With thanks to Jubail Mangrove Park, Jubail Island, Abu Dhabi
THREE
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Williams at Wimbledon
Venus Williams - 5 titles (2000, 2001, 2005, 2007 and 2008)
Serena Williams - 7 titles (2002, 2003, 2009, 2010, 2012, 2015 and 2016)
Six pitfalls to avoid when trading company stocks
Following fashion
Investing is cyclical, buying last year's winners often means holding this year's losers.
Losing your balance
You end up with too much exposure to an individual company or sector that has taken your fancy.
Being over active
If you chop and change your portfolio too often, dealing charges will eat up your gains.
Running your losers
Investors hate admitting mistakes and hold onto bad stocks hoping they will come good.
Selling in a panic
If you sell up when the market drops, you have locked yourself out of the recovery.
Timing the market
Even the best investor in the world cannot consistently call market movements.
The years Ramadan fell in May
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Platform: Android 12
Main camera: quad 12MP ultra-wide f/2.2, 108MP wide f/1.8, 10MP telephoto f/4.9, 10MP telephoto 2.4; Space Zoom up to 100x, auto HDR, expert RAW
Video: 8K@24fps, 4K@60fps, full-HD@60fps, HD@30fps, super slo-mo@960fps
Front camera: 40MP f/2.2
Battery: 5000mAh, fast wireless charging 2.0 Wireless PowerShare
Connectivity: 5G, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 5.2, NFC
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SIM: single nano, or nano and SIM, nano and nano, eSIM/nano and nano
Colours: burgundy, green, phantom black, phantom white, graphite, sky blue, red
Price: Dh4,699 for 128GB, Dh5,099 for 256GB, Dh5,499 for 512GB; 1TB unavailable in the UAE
WHAT ARE NFTs?
Non-fungible tokens (NFTs) are tokens that represent ownership of unique items. They allow the tokenisation of things such as art, collectibles and even real estate.
An NFT can have only one official owner at one time. And since they're minted and secured on the Ethereum blockchain, no one can modify the record of ownership, not even copy-paste it into a new one.
This means NFTs are not interchangeable and cannot be exchanged with other items. In contrast, fungible items, such as fiat currencies, can be exchanged because their value defines them rather than their unique properties.
Who was Alfred Nobel?
The Nobel Prize was created by wealthy Swedish chemist and entrepreneur Alfred Nobel.
- In his will he dictated that the bulk of his estate should be used to fund "prizes to those who, during the preceding year, have conferred the greatest benefit to humankind".
- Nobel is best known as the inventor of dynamite, but also wrote poetry and drama and could speak Russian, French, English and German by the age of 17. The five original prize categories reflect the interests closest to his heart.
- Nobel died in 1896 but it took until 1901, following a legal battle over his will, before the first prizes were awarded.
Dust and sand storms compared
Sand storm
- Particle size: Larger, heavier sand grains
- Visibility: Often dramatic with thick "walls" of sand
- Duration: Short-lived, typically localised
- Travel distance: Limited
- Source: Open desert areas with strong winds
Dust storm
- Particle size: Much finer, lightweight particles
- Visibility: Hazy skies but less intense
- Duration: Can linger for days
- Travel distance: Long-range, up to thousands of kilometres
- Source: Can be carried from distant regions
THE SPECS
Engine: 3.6-litre V6
Transmission: eight-speed automatic
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The biog
Name: James Mullan
Nationality: Irish
Family: Wife, Pom; and daughters Kate, 18, and Ciara, 13, who attend Jumeirah English Speaking School (JESS)
Favourite book or author: “That’s a really difficult question. I’m a big fan of Donna Tartt, The Secret History. I’d recommend that, go and have a read of that.”
Dream: “It would be to continue to have fun and to work with really interesting people, which I have been very fortunate to do for a lot of my life. I just enjoy working with very smart, fun people.”
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Violence%20
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