Skyports announces projects in Saudi Arabia and UAE
Skyports Drone Services has made its first entry into Saudi Arabia through a collaboration with Iot Squared, a joint venture between the country’s Public Investment Fund and national telecom firm Stc Group.
The partnership will look to create a proof of concept which would integrate BVLOS drone aircraft into Saudi Arabia’s large-scale infrastructure and real estate developments, including the supporting infrastructure required — such as a remote command and control centre.
Daniel O’Neill, general manager, Middle East, at Skyports (pictured above right) said: “With its strong focus on innovative infrastructure and mobility, Saudi Arabia has long been a key target market for us. The efforts of the General Authority of Civil Aviation and the Ministry of Transport and Logistics Services have fostered a progressive regulatory environment that has been instrumental in unlocking the drone operations for the country.”
As the project progresses, Skyports and Iot Squared will explore further opportunities to scale drone operations across Saudi Arabia’s ongoing and upcoming giga-projects.
Iot Squared CEO Othman Aldahash (pictured above left) said: “Our partnership with Skyports reinforces iot squared’s position as a key player in IoT and drone-enabled solutions. By focusing on complex operations in remote and offshore locations, we’re addressing critical missions that demand high precision and where traditional methods are often expensive or inefficient. Together, we aim to deliver impactful, cost-effective alternatives that redefine operational excellence in key sectors.”
Vertiports in Abu Dhabi
Meanwhile, Skyports Infrastructure has unveiled a series of vertiport designs in partnership with Abu Dhabi firm LODD. The designs are set to be developed across three Abu Dhab locations — Al Bateen, Yas Island (pictured below) and Khalifa Port — and will form the basis of the first vertiport network in the city.
Rashid Al Mannai, CEO of LODD, said: “Abu Dhabi serves as a global model for air mobility, thanks to its progressive systems. These vertiports will lay the foundation for a future-ready air mobility network, supporting both commercial eVTOL passenger services and autonomous aerial logistics.”
The announcement was made during the ICAO Global Implementation Support Symposium (GISS) 2025, held in Abu Dhabi this week. During the event, LODD and Skyports signed an MoU for the development the vertiport infrastructure, which has the potential to enable connectivity between other Emirates.
Duncan Walker, CEO of Skyports added: “The unveiling of these designs and signing of an MOU highlights the progress being made to define and develop Abu Dhabi’s AAM infrastructure network. As our vertiport concept designs show, cargo is just as important to Abu Dhabi’s AAM future as passenger operations. The development of a comprehensive passenger and cargo network will enable us to bring wide ranging benefits to the Emirate, for both people and businesses.”
