Starting this month, UVL Robotics will provide drone delivery in Oman, servicing Oman’s largest city, Muscat: integrating with the local delivery service. The company has also gained permissions to fly beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS.)
The project for drone delivery in Oman “is the first and only of its kind” in the region, says a UVL press release.
UVL Robotics’ project represents an opportunity to bring drone delivery at scale to communities. By receiving official permissions for BVLOS flight – a long process that required authorization from the Royal Oman Airforce (RAFO), the Royal Oman Police (ROP), the National Survey Authority (NSA), the UVL implementation will not be limited in range. Cooperation with the local delivery service mean that customers for the service are already at hand: the service will not have to build up business with individual retailers or consumers.
Eugene Grankin, UVL Robotics CEO, says that while the process of receiving authorizations was complex, it has been worthwhile. “It was a worth-while experience to give our technologies life. The UVL team has received the trust from local authorities to move the project forward – I’m very grateful to everyone who was engaged in the process. It is new milestone in the history of delivery service,”said Grankin.
For customers in Muscat, drone delivery in Oman means faster service without delays because of heavy traffic or infrastructure. The project will offer customers the opportunity to choose their preferred method of delivery. Especially during the current pandemic, contactless delivery may be a top choice.
“Everything is safe and easy,” says the UVL press release. “Drones are quite mobile; they can get even hard-to-reach regions.”
Perhaps most significantly, research shows that citizens who experience the benefits of commercial drones, through services like drone delivery, have a more favorable view of drone technology. In Oman, the UVL Robotics project may help drive the entire industry forward.
Read more about drone delivery in the U.S, drone delivery for the Royal Mail in the Scilly Isles, and BVLOS drone delivery.
Miriam McNabb is the Editor-in-Chief of DRONELIFE and CEO of JobForDrones, a professional drone services marketplace, and a fascinated observer of the emerging drone industry and the regulatory environment for drones. Miriam has penned over 3,000 articles focused on the commercial drone space and is an international speaker and recognized figure in the industry. Miriam has a degree from the University of Chicago and over 20 years of experience in high tech sales and marketing for new technologies.For drone industry consulting or writing, Email Miriam.
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