Exactly. If you can, you should talk to some of the people there. Even though it's under PAC, AvRID has it's own, unusually nonsarkari, mahol. It would be a shame if AvRID dies.
Kuddos to our war planners , when whole world willing to produce UCAVs we are no where near in that line , our country is a full of terrorists , getting drones should be our first priority but after this news seems GHQ still on halwa mod
If AvRID can't grow, I at least hope it evolves into a skunkworks department that studies new things and starts projects as a proof-of-concept.
Until true R&D work like what was done in Brazil is carried out outside the clutches of dodo generalismos you will get nothing done. Sorry but it is a fact.
Hearing this since ages, where are those two male UCAVs ?? Kia sab FC soldiers mar gay phir ban jain gay ?? And for your kind information we are discussing on a thread on which engineers leaving PAC
gulfnews.com
I said somewhere else that these drones should also transport some critical medicine or parcels between major to small cities, like this Rawanda example. However, there should be some legislation else it wd be gateway to criminals for money and drug transfer.Food delivery via drones to soon take off in Pakistan
‘PandaFly’ service will be expanded across the country after successful trials
Published: November 13, 2021 18:32 Sana Jamal, Correspondent
The drone delivered a 2.5kg food package from one end of the park to the other with the help of two riders who loaded and collected the package and distributed food to children of Sweet Homes orphanage invited at the event. Image Credit: Supplied
Islamabad: Food delivery via drones will soon take off in Pakistan as the pilot project has been launched in Islamabad.
The food delivery company Foodpanda collaborated with Pakistani aerospace company Woot Tech to test the service in Islamabad.
Dr Bilal Siddiqui, the chief operating and tech officer at Woot Tech, shared that the VTOL drone, being used for Foodpanda orders, is customized for deliveries of food and emergency medical supplies with temperature-controlled mechanism.
Drone specifications
* It can deliver a maximum payload of 5kg at 90 km/h speed.
* The maximum flight distance is about 20km.
* It is allowed to fly 100 meters (300 feet) high.
* Endurance – up to 30 min
* Speed – 90 km/h
* Max flight range – 20 km
* Max payload weight – 5 kg
* Altitude – 300 feet allowed
The ‘PandaFly’ service will be expanded across the country after successful trials. The test flight was conducted with support from Deputy Commissioner (DC) office in Islamabad at F-9 park on November 12.
The drone delivered a 2.5kg food package from one end of the park to the other with the help of two riders who loaded and collected the package and distributed food to children of Sweet Homes orphanage invited at the event.
The project would allow speedier food deliveries but not exactly in the way many would expect. The service launched in Pakistan will not be currently delivering food directly to homes. It is focused on middle-mile drone delivery service which means drones would fly from one point to another in a straight line bypassing traffic and other obstacles.
After the order is loaded on the drone, it will fly to a specified drop-off point where the Foodpanda rider will receive and deliver it to the customer. Pakistan’s drone regulatory requirements currently do not allow last-mile deliveries.
Pakistani company developed drones
The Foodpanda orders via drones in Pakistan will be made on a hybrid vertical take off and landing (VTOL) drone developed by Pakistani company Woot Tech which claims to be the first in South Asia to develop VTOL drones.
Talking to Gulf News, Dr Bilal Siddiqui, the chief operating and tech officer at Woot Tech, shared that the VTOL drone, being used for Foodpanda orders, is customized for deliveries of food and emergency medical supplies with temperature-controlled mechanism.
The company is working on the use of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) for civilian purposes including mapping, surveying, intelligence analytics, and delivery of packages, and has customers in UAE, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Kenya and Norway, said Dr Siddiqui, who has two decades of experience in the industry. The drones will cut delivery time from 45 minutes in a dense urban area to just 10 minutes. While the $4-5 cost on a car will be reduced by five times.
“The use of disruptive technology by Foodpanda in the future will mean faster deliveries over longer distances” especially for customers living in peri-urban and remote areas who have limited food options. “The successful test flight and delivery has been highly encouraging” and will help evaluate and address the technical, operational and legal issues before the drone deliveries begin in Pakistan, said Nauman Sikandar Mirza, the CEO of Foodpanda, a subsidiary of Germany-based Delivery Hero.
DC Islamabad Hamza Shafqaat encouraged the new tech delivery service and offered all possible support. He believes that the use of technology can greatly help government agencies serve citizens better.
Drone technology prospects in Pakistan
The launch of a pilot project in Islamabad will pave the way for the commercial use of drones in Pakistan. But it would require an established regulatory framework. “Drones offer new opportunities for services and businesses. This project can help understand the future challenges to devise policies that ensure public safety while integrating the use of drones into Pakistan’s airspace,” Raheel Pasha Khan, CEO at Woot Tech, told Gulf News.
In March 2021, Pakistan’s Prime Minister Imran Khan approved the formation of an authority to regulate the use of UAVs and boost local production but the painfully slow process of legislation is hurting the local manufacturers. Experts say the regulation would help Pakistan tap into the commercial drone market, which is expected to touch $43 billion by 2025.
“There are few VTOL manufacturers in the world which means Pakistani companies can capitalize on opportunities and increase high technology exports” which can fuel faster economic growth, Pasha Khan said. The six-month-old startup Woot Tech is currently valued at $19 million and has achieved 65 per cent revenue target in the first quarter.
Food delivery via drones to soon take off in Pakistan
‘PandaFly’ service will be expanded across the country after successful trials
There is some work in that space too. Remains to be seen how effective it will be.
gulfnews.com
I hope so man.There is some work in that space too. Remains to be seen how effective it will be.
Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan approves establishment of Civil Drone Authority
Authority will be mandated to regulate unmanned aircraft systems in the country
Published: March 13, 2021 16:55 Sana Jamal, Correspondent
Developing a policy framework for the adoption and management of drones is essential for businesses, agriculture, research and development, and other areas, said Khan. Image Credit: Agency
Islamabad: Pakistan’s Prime Minister Imran Khan approved the formation of a civil drone authority to regulate the use of drones and also boost local production.
Developing a policy framework for the adoption and management of drones is essential for businesses, agriculture, research and development, and other areas, said Khan.
The new drone authority would not only fill the regulatory void but would also be instrumental in the promotion and domestic production of drones. “Efficient use of drone technology will help improve utilization of resources and service levels,” the premier said. He urged to speed up the formation of the organization after the cabinet’s approval.
Pakistan’s first drone regulatory authority will supervise and implement several regulations related to unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) or drones including licensing or drone permits, import, local manufacturing of drones and develop the standards for drone production, operations, training, research and development. It would also provide guidance for operating and flying drones to ensure public safety. The authority would also be empowered to undertake enforcement actions through warnings, fines and imprisonment.
The new organization would be headed by secretary aviation division Shoukat Ali and would comprise of top officers from Pakistan Air Force (PAF), Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), Ministry of Defence Production, Ministry of Interior and Ministry of Science and Technology and representatives from each federating units. Three independent experts, whose names have not been decided yet, would also be part of the organization.
Drone policy or authority?
The public safety and national security challenges posed by unmanned aircraft demand a strong regulatory framework. Experts have welcomed Pakistan government’s drone regulation move but some believe that the country needed a ‘drone policy not an authority.’
“There is no reason to have a separate drone authority when civil aviation authority already exists. Drones are unmanned aircraft and that comes under aviation authority” Mosharraf Zaidi, public policy professional, told Gulf News. He says that a new organization with a few high-paying jobs could add a significant burden on the national exchequer. More importantly, “the new body would make the execution of public policy and regulation less coherent and more open to misuse”, he said.
The policy is seen as the first step towards building the drone industry in a country where the import of drones is practically banned due to security concerns. Experts say the regulation would help Pakistan tap into the commercial drone market, which is expected to touch US$43 billion by 2025 with an annual 20 per cent growth rate.
Minister for Science and Technology Fawad Chaudhry described the development as a new “milestone” and said that the ministry’s current focus is agricultural and police drones. Pakistan’s police recently started using drones to ensure public safety and the country also utilized locally developed drones to fight the locust attack.
Incentives for private firms
Pakistani drone manufacturers insist the federal government must encourage the private sector by offering direct support and tax incentives to develop the local industry and attract foreign investments and joint ventures.
“Pakistan is missing out on a huge potential to build its drone industry due to excessive red tape and high custom duties” Imran Wazeer, the COO of ABM SATUMA, a private company with two decades of drone manufacturing and integrated technologies experience, told Gulf News.
The private sector has been at the forefront of developing drone technologies with the support of government all over the world, he said.
Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan approves establishment of Civil Drone Authority
Authority will be mandated to regulate unmanned aircraft systems in the country
Drones and quad copters in Pakistan cannot be operated without a license ( except the kiddie ones which are shitty and like in between 10 to 20k pkr price range ) . its been going on since like almost a decade or so
I know that small drones are available for hobby-lobby, photography, playing etc. But see the damage these drones can make with small shape charges.
If you think they aren’t going to get military contracts you are mistaken.
