Workshops Span Air, Sea and Land as Abu Dhabi Builds Smart Mobility Rules
The Integrated Transport Centre, known as Abu Dhabi Mobility, has organised a series of workshops on smart and autonomous transport spanning the air, maritime and land sectors, as part of the emirate's wider vision for smart mobility. The sessions were attended by Sheikh Hamdan bin Saeed bin Tahnoon Al Nahyan, Dr Abdulla Hamad AlGhfeli, Acting Director General of the Integrated Transport Centre, and senior officials from government and the private sector. The workshops are designed to strengthen Abu Dhabi's infrastructure, regulatory framework and operational readiness for adopting smart mobility technologies.
One session focused on the drone ecosystem, giving operators a platform to raise challenges and discuss ways to improve regulatory procedures and operational efficiency. More than 60 government and private drone-operating organisations took part, with over 100 representatives attending. Participants were also introduced to the deployed Unmanned Aircraft System Traffic Management (UTM) system and an upgraded platform designed to strengthen oversight of drone operations.
Maritime and Freight Sessions Draw Over 100 Organisations
A separate workshop addressed autonomous maritime transport, with the participation of Dr Mohamed Al Kuwaiti, Head of Cyber Security for the UAE Government. More than 25 government and private organisations, represented by over 60 participants, attended, with discussions focused on strengthening collaboration between regulators, developers and operators while addressing the regulatory and operational challenges of introducing autonomous vessels. Al Kuwaiti said the outcomes would directly contribute to regulatory and legislative frameworks that keep pace with technological advancements and reinforce Abu Dhabi's position as a leading global maritime hub.
A third workshop examined the future of autonomous heavy vehicles and delivery vehicles, attended by more than 60 representatives from government and private organisations. Discussions centred on aligning regulations, integrating technologies and infrastructure, and strengthening public-private partnerships to support the safe deployment of autonomous freight and delivery vehicles. The session concluded with recommendations including new regulatory frameworks, an integrated ecosystem for autonomous transport, a clear implementation roadmap and exploration of investment opportunities. Dr AlGhfeli said developing an integrated smart transport ecosystem is central to Abu Dhabi's efforts to modernise its air, maritime and land transport sectors while maintaining high standards of safety and sustainability.
