Speed is only part of the pitch for drone deliveries in UAE: Top executive

Moving a slice of short, high-frequency trips into the air could ease pressure on roads

- BY JUSTIN VARGHESE

Drone delivery could start to change how Dubai residents experience traffic in their own neighbourhoods, particularly during peak hours, according to a senior executive at Keeta Drone.

While the technology will not replace traditional couriers, the company says moving a slice of short, high-frequency trips into the air could ease pressure where roads are most congested.

"If drone delivery scaled meaningfully across dense urban clusters, it could help remove a portion of congestion from roads," said Junwei Yang, General Manager of Keeta Drone. He said the biggest impact would not be on highways, but in residential zones where delivery vehicles tend to cluster at the same times of day.

Yang said even diverting a modest share of short-haul orders could reduce traffic buildup in high-demand areas such as housing communities, schools, and public spaces. Drones bypass roads entirely, flying directly between points and crossing water bodies and creeks that often force vehicles onto longer routes.

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