Saudi Arabia licenses drone-powered façade cleaning
Move aims to expand harnessing cutting-edge technologies
Cairo: Saudi civil authorities have announced the granting of the first operational licence for the use of drones in cleaning building fronts in the kingdom.
The General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA) confirmed that the licence was issued to a specialised company, though it did not disclose the company’s name, marking a significant step towards introducing this service in Saudi Arabia. According to GACA, this move aims to facilitate and provide necessary flexibility to investors to implement advanced operational methods.
“With this decision, the Authority takes a new step towards enabling the application of cutting-edge technologies in various fields, in line with the national aviation strategy,” GACA stated.
The drone licensing initiative is part of the Saudi state agency’s broader efforts to support the use of drones in several sectors, including rescue operations and agricultural spraying.
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GACA has updated executive regulations related to aviation safety as part of a national aviation safety program, ensuring that operators and beneficiaries are informed of all developments and requirements well in advance, thereby ensuring readiness to comply.
Aligned with Saudi Arabia’s national aviation objectives, GACA adopts advanced systems, utilizes AI-enhanced technologies, and implements innovative digital solutions in its operations to keep pace with the latest developments in the aviation industry. In recent years, Saudi Arabia has demonstrated a strong interest in leveraging artificial intelligence across various domains.
In March, authorities introduced an AI-enhanced device named “Turjman,” designed to translate statements made by defendants swiftly as part of efforts to expedite judicial processes. Developed by a Saudi computing and AI company, Turjman incorporates thermal cameras for defendant recognition, accesses basic data from government agencies, and can translate statements into up to 142 languages and dialects, as reported by Saudi media.