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The UAE and the wider GCC are quickly becoming one of the world’s most active testing grounds for commercial drone technology, aided by regulators who acted early to create operational frameworks for unmanned aviation. From logistics and urban planning to public safety and smart city infrastructure, drones are moving from controlled trials to real operational roles, opening the door to businesses capable of operating responsibly in real-world urban environments.
In this context, Keeta Drone is positioning itself as part of Dubai’s broader smart mobility ecosystem rather than a standalone aviation player. Junwei Yang, general manager of Keeta Dronesays the region’s regulatory clarity and appetite for innovation creates tangible opportunities for drone operators to integrate into daily city life, particularly in last-mile delivery, connected infrastructure and automated logistics.
As AI, automation and sustainability become essential to the next phase of urban development, Yang explains how Keeta Drone is adapting its technology and operations to meet the demands of rapidly evolving cities in the UAE and beyond.
How is the drone industry evolving in the UAE and the GCC, and what opportunities does this create for companies like Keeta Drone?
The drone industry in the UAE and the wider GCC region is experiencing rapid transformation, driven by forward-thinking regulation, strategic national initiatives and strong adoption across the commerce, logistics and public safety sectors. Governments in the region have proactively developed regulatory environments that balance safety and innovation, enabling unmanned aerial systems to evolve responsibly and commercially. This progressive approach has made the region one of the world’s most dynamic markets for drone technology.
DCAA’s progressive regulatory leadership has played a critical role in enabling commercial drone operations in Dubai. Their collaborative approach has allowed Keeta Drone to innovate responsibly while maintaining the highest safety standards.
Drones are increasingly being integrated into logistics, urban planning and smart city initiatives. How does Keeta Drone adapt to these multi-sector opportunities?
At Keeta Drone, drones are not a standalone technology, but part of a broader urban ecosystem that connects logistics, infrastructure planning and smart city development. As Dubai accelerates its smart city ambitions, Keeta Drone is deliberately designing its operations to integrate seamlessly across multiple sectors.
From a logistics perspective, Keeta Drone focuses on solving real last-mile challenges in dense urban environments. Our drone operations are designed to complement existing ground delivery networks, improving speed, reliability and efficiency, particularly in high-demand areas such as neighborhoods, campuses and mixed-use developments. This hybrid logistics model allows cities to reduce congestion while improving service levels for residents and businesses.
From a city planning perspective, Keeta Drone works closely within approved regulatory frameworks and designated flight corridors, ensuring drone routes are aligned with city planning, community safety and public infrastructure. Collaboration with authorities such as the Dubai Civil Aviation Authority (DCAA)) enables Keeta Drone to operate responsibly in real-world urban environments, ensuring that drones are integrated into the urban fabric rather than added as an afterthought.
From a smart city and innovation perspective, Keeta Drone actively supports Dubai’s vision of connected and future-ready mobility. Our droneports are designed as a compact, low-impact infrastructure that can be integrated into shopping centers, residential communities and campuses. Beyond delivery, these deployments create new touchpoints for community engagement, data-driven operations, and experiential technology, making drone logistics a visible and trusted part of everyday life.
Ultimately, Keeta Drone’s approach is ecosystem-driven. By aligning logistics efficiency, regulatory compliance, urban design and community experience, we help demonstrate how drone technology can scale responsibly in a modern city. Dubai’s integrated approach to innovation makes it the ideal environment for Keeta Drone to continue to grow across all sectors and contribute to the next phase of smart urban mobility.
How do you see AI and automation shaping the next generation of consumer and commercial drones over the next three to five years?
Advances in AI will refine the training of control and planning algorithms for drones, giving each drone a more accurate perception of the physical world and smoother interaction with it, while making multi-drone cooperation much more efficient. Advances in automation will significantly expand the way drones can interact with the real world, enabling truly unmanned operations.
For us, this translates to autonomous battery charging, pickup and swapping, providing higher delivery efficiency, enhanced operational security and a wider range of scenarios, while providing uninterrupted service around the clock.
What are the most significant improvements of the Keeta Drone Gen 4 compared to the original model? How does AI improve safety, navigation and user experience in the new drone?
The V4 drone has been improved in four key areas:
Safer: The V4’s enhanced perception suite recognizes buildings, trees, cell towers, power lines and other hazards in complex urban environments, allowing the aircraft to navigate dense cityscapes on its own. In an emergency, the intelligent sensing module identifies a safe landing point and lands autonomously; If the situation becomes extreme, a parachute can be deployed automatically or manually to prevent injury.
Multi-Weather: The operational domain envelope (ODD) has been expanded, so the V4 flies reliably in moderate rain, moderate snow, and winds up to Beaufort Scale 6, giving operators more days and more missions.
Low Noise: Three-blade folding propellers with boundary layer flow control technology keep the sound level at approximately 52 dBA at a distance of 50 meters, quieter than two people talking normally.
Extended range: Compared to previous models, the V4 offers a significantly longer flight distance on a single charge.
How does Keeta Drone address sustainability and environmental considerations in the design and operation of its drones?
Sustainability is integrated into how we design, deploy and scale our operations. We see drone delivery as a long-term contributor to greener urban logistics.
From an operational perspective, drone delivery helps reduce the reliance on traditional last-mile transportation methods in specific use cases. By moving short-distance deliveries to low-altitude electric air routes, we help reduce traffic congestion and associated emissions, particularly in high-density neighborhoods and campuses. Our drones have low emissions, in line with Dubai’s broader goals for sustainability and smart mobility.
From a design and efficiency perspective, the Keeta drone continuously optimizes flight paths, load planning and operational windows to minimize energy consumption per delivery. Short, direct air routes reduce travel distance compared to road alternatives, making each delivery more efficient, by design.
Additionally, Keeta Drone promotes responsible packaging practices, where each delivery box can be recycled after delivery, thereby promoting sustainability.
Read: How RTA is deploying drones to transform Dubai Metro operations