Leading Edge of Autonomous Tomorrow Committed to bringing the latest in cuttingedge drone technology and unmanned systems to the region and beyond, ADASI is at the forefront of innovation in autonomous capabilities and augmenting its product portfolio. They are open to expanding into South Asia and Africa when the right opportunity arises, says Ali Al Yafei, Chief Executive Officer, ADASI, in an interview. Excerpts:
Ali Al Yafei Chief Executive Officer, ADASI
Since joining in 2008, Ali has spearheaded significant growth and development of ADASI to enhance the UAE’s national security infrastructure, and to address the nation’s technological aspirations. Ali Al Yafei provides strategic oversight and business direction for the company, to ensure operational and productive efficiency in delivering complex programs for the UAE Armed Forces.
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Countries all over the world are pushing for unmanned systems as the most important part of their defence strategy. How challenging is the unmanned systems industry today, and what makes ADASI a distinct player in the global arena? UAVs are rapidly advancing in terms of capability and are growing in popularity, with an increasing number of uses across the military, commercial, scientific, recreational, agricultural, and other sectors. Drones have become critical to organisations and industries, increasing efficiencies, improving accuracy, and resolving security issues across borders. Their ability to reach the most remote areas with little manpower required saves time, energy, and cost. The UAE drone market is expected to grow, driven by the rising demand for military and commercial drones, coupled with the proactive involvement of regulatory bodies, such as General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) and Dubai Civil Aviation Authority (DCAA), in devising policies to support the use of drones in different applications. When it comes to UAVs and autonomous capabilities, ADASI is at the forefront of innovation and the upcoming launches at IDEX testifies this. With the future increasingly relying on unmanned systems that provide a higher degree of tactical flexibility, we have invested extensively to fast-track R&D investments in these domains, bringing related products to market with speed. Incorporating the latest technologies, we focus on the acquisition, development, test, operation, and full-service support of UAV systems. We also modify and reconfigure performance to suit our partner’s strategic
and tactical demands or to integrate alternative payloads. There are currently no platform systems like our Garmoosha drone in the UAE, which enables us to position ourselves on the leading edge of tomorrow. Our main competitors are based in China, USA, and Europe. Could you give us an overview of the products and services offered by ADASI? Who are its major clients globally? We have designed and manufactured the RW-24 system, a fully automated and highly effective high-speed UAV with significant offensive capabilities that operates from shallow to near-vertical angles and boasts a long mission endurance. We also have more than 10 years of experience in operating and providing after-sales support for the Al SabrS-100 vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) systems– developing skills, training pilots, and deploying the UAVs in day-to-day operations, from systems and payload integration to maintenance and logistics. Today, our support is critical to keeping the Al Sabr UAVs in the air for over 5,000 hours a year. Our Aerostat UAV is an advanced highendurance airborne monitoring system that can carry an electro-optical/infrared (EO/IR) sensor, such as the FLIR U8500 or the WESCAM MX-10, to heights of up to 3,000 feet, and can stay deployed for over a week at a time, subject to local weather conditions. Our GCS 300 shelter is the ideal base for transporting, storing, operating, and maintaining UAVs in the field. Robust,