Dubai Airports and Farnek deploy more than 30 autonomous cleaners across five major airport locations

Dubai: Dubai Airports, working alongside Farnek, has commissioned over 30 self-operating cleaning robots, establishing one of the region’s largest automated cleaning operations within the aviation sector. The robots are active throughout Terminal 1, Terminal 2, Concourse D, Dubai Cargo Village, and Al Maktoum International Airport (DWC), forming part of a five-year facilities management contract.

The project focuses on streamlining operations, maintaining uniform cleaning results, and advancing sustainability ambitions, all consistent with the airport’s smart infrastructure objectives. Essa Al Shamsi, Senior Vice President - Terminal Operations at Dubai Airports, remarked: "The decision was driven by a simple goal – to make our operations smarter, more efficient, and more sustainable. Cleaning robots help us deliver a consistent level of service across the airport while using resources more efficiently. It’s part of how we’re applying technology to improve both the guest experience and the working environment for our teams, in line with Dubai Airports’ smart airport strategy and long-term sustainability goals."

Dubai Airports integrates these cleaning robots with Farnek’s in-person teams under the Farnek Hybrid Unit (FHU) system. This method fuses robotic technology, digital advancements, and sustainability, reshaping how cleanliness standards are defined at the airport and setting an industry benchmark for operational performance.

Markus Oberlin, Farnek’s Group CEO, stated: "This is one of the largest robotic cleaning programmes in the Middle East’s aviation sector. It positions Dubai Airports as a global reference for smart FM integration — combining automation, digital platforms, and sustainability under one operational model."

Commenting on the partnership’s extension, Oberlin added: "The contract renewal marks a new chapter — one built on proven partnership, smarter processes, and a shared drive for continuous improvement. What we’ve achieved together is not just automation; it’s a model for how intelligent FM can operate at scale."

Further developments are planned as Dubai Airports and Farnek investigate emerging robotic cleaning innovations, improvements in artificial intelligence analytics, and the use of sustainability-focused metrics. Their intention is to construct an adaptive, data-led cleaning framework, capable of adjusting in real time to passenger flows and operational requirements.