Drone-enabled Local Planting Project in the UAE

The UAE Ministry of Climate Change and Environment (MoCCAE) revealed that it has carried out a drone-enabled planting project across 25 locations in the northern, eastern, and central regions of the UAE, coinciding with the nation’s rainy season.

The project was conducted in cooperation with the Nikai Group of Companies and Falcon Eye Drones – a Dubai-based drone-powered solutions company – as well as with the support of Emirati businessmen Salem Al Qaidi and Abdullah Al-Hayy.

The drones were used to disperse 6 million Ghaf and acacia seeds, prepped to maximise the chances of a successful planting.

The Ministry of Climate Change has stated that it will closely monitor these locations to assess the germination rate.

Based on the outcomes of the exercise, MoCCAE intends to diversify the use of the technology, add more local plant species, and expand the territory covered.

Commenting on the project, the Minister of Climate Change and Environment, Dr. Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi, said: “The local planting drive aims to preserve indigenous biodiversity and sustain our precious resources. In line with our commitment to leveraging technology to drive environmental sustainability, we have started using drones in agriculture, and the initial results show great promise.”

MoCCAE has also previously used drones in a survey of agricultural facilities across the UAE to establish an accurate database of information on farms.