The UAE has launched an international competition with a $1 million prize to support its bid to launch unmanned aerial vehicles to deliver government services more efficiently.
Mohammed Abdullah Al Gergawi, UAE Minister of Cabinet Affairs and chairman of the Higher Committee for Mobile Government, said companies, universities, creative individuals and specialised professionals will all be invited to participate.
The winner of the $1 million prize will be announced in February 2015.
“HH Sheikh Mohammed’s goal is for the UAE to be the smartest and most effective government in the world. We are committed to constant innovation in government services because ultimately this is the surest way to improve quality of life for all citizens, residents and visitors,” Al Gergawi said.
The UAE said on Monday that it intends to develop drone technology to deliver a variety of civilian services more quickly and effectively.
Potential applications include the delivery of government documents, traffic and infrastructure monitoring, and services in health and education, a statement said.
Al Gergawi added that the international competition will be run by a committee of specialists in drones and government officials.
Together they will evaluate how effectively each UAV innovation would add value by making government services more efficient, and by saving time and effort for customers, he said in the statement.
Technical details and processes for the competition will be announced soon, he added.
Proposals for the civilian use of drones have run into practical difficulties elsewhere in the world. In December Amazon.com Inc chief executive Jeff Bezos said his company planned to deliver goods to millions of customers with a fleet of drones, but safety and technical issues mean the plan is unlikely to become a reality in the United States this decade, engineers say.
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