DUBAI 20 March 2023: The UAE Regulations Lab at the General Secretariat of the Cabinet has issued a licence for an electric cargo aircraft as part of its efforts to promote sustainable and eco-friendly transportation and enhance the sustainability of the air cargo industry in the UAE.
In collaboration with the United Parcel Service (UPS), an American multinational shipping, receiving, and supply chain management company, the RegLab has issued a temporary licence to test electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft in the UAE.
The new sustainable aircraft licence provides a robust legislative framework for operating a new generation of cargo aircraft that uses clean energy, supporting the UAE’s efforts to launch proactive eco-friendly initiatives and programs aimed at bolstering the economic system’s competitiveness.
Under the licence, UPS will be able to commence its cargo operations using a new sustainable aircraft that adheres to internationally adopted specifications and standards in the electric air cargo and transportation system.
The licence is aimed at reducing carbon emissions by encouraging the adoption of clean energy and leveraging technology and innovation to redefine the logistics sector’s future and its impact on the environment and climate, said Wam.
Since its inception in 2019, the RegLab has been collaborating with government entities and the private sector through an innovative operating model that includes experimentation, legislating, and integrating emerging technologies that shape the future.
Air Taxi
Saif Mohammed Al Suwaidi, Director-General of the General Civil Aviation Authority, said that GCAA possesses all the cadres and capabilities, in addition to the necessary legislation to provide a safe operating environment for this type of aircraft, through the issuance of several regulations concerned with licensing runways for electric aircraft, as well as regulations related to airworthiness and operation, as the authority is currently working on similar activities related to passenger transport.
He added, “We expect that the pace of work on the project will increase, especially after Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum announced (approving models and designs of air taxi stations) during the World Summit of Governments this year.”
