The Emirates Group and Dubai Future Foundation (DFF) have signed a significant partnership to launch the Emirates Centre of Excellence for Aviation Robotics (Ecear) at ForsaTEK, the Group’s innovation forum.

The Ecear initiative will see the Emirates Group and Dubai Future Labs, an initiative of DFF, take a leading role in driving industry-focused research and development (R&D) with practical use cases, delivering them with global impact.

The centre will serve as a R&D space devoted to harnessing science and technology to solve complex challenges faced by the global aviation industry, with a focus on exploring key themes such as human-robot interaction, cargo and luggage handling, logistics and intralogistics, and aviation standards and regulations.

On the launch, Emirates’ Chief Operating Officer Adel Al Redha said the partnership marks a key milestone in the group’s innovation journey, and a remarkable step for the aviation industry.

This DFF collaboration will help to realise the group's vision for aviation and support Dubai’s vision to become one of the world’s leading futuristic cities, he noted.

According to him, the Ecear initiative will allow Emirates Group to take advantage of evolving technology and expand the use of robotics and technological applications in the customer journey, improving operational efficiency.

Al Redha emphasised that focused R&D investment will allow the Group to transform its business in the digital era, make more use of AI, give tangible benefits to customers and stakeholders, and maintain its lead.

Dubai Future Foundation CEO Khalfan Juma Belhoul said this launch embodies the importance of incubating top national and international talents in Dubai to develop robotic solutions that support the growth of the aviation sector.

Belhoul pointed out that the agreement would provide fresh and diverse economic opportunities centred on developing technologies of futures.

According to him, Ecear will closely explore the intersection between Artificial Intelligence and Robotics, including the potential applications for generative AI and biometrics.

The centre is designed to help transform Dubai into the world’s premier location for R&D and innovation by attracting top global talent, providing a platform for local students to develop their skills, inspiring more interest in STEM degrees, and building the ecosystem for the highest levels of research, he added.

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