logo
Aerotree Introduces Malaysia's First Cargo Drone, Targeting Logistics, Defence Sectors

Aerotree Introduces Malaysia's First Cargo Drone, Targeting Logistics, Defence Sectors

Barnama24-05-2025

GENERAL
By Nazira Hasanah Nasaruddin
LANGKAWI, May 24 (Bernama) -- In a move to enhance Malaysia's logistics and defence capabilities, local company, Aerotree Defence and Services Sdn Bhd (Aerotree) unveiled the DJI Flycart 30, the country's first cargo drone, at the Langkawi International Maritime and Aerospace Exhibition 2025 (LIMA'25).
Aerotree Air Combat Maneuvering Instrumentation (ACMI) project director Mohd Aizat Mohd Aris said the drone is designed to carry a load of up to 30 kilogrammes, providing an efficient and competitive solution for logistics delivery.
'The idea to develop this cargo drone originated from Aerotree president and chief executive officer Datuk Halim Othman during the COVID-19 pandemic, when logistical challenges and movement restrictions affected all sectors,' he said.
'Following that, research and development were conducted with the expertise of local engineers, including former military personnel and flight school graduates, supported by technology from China to produce the DJI Flycart 30,' he told Bernama here today.
He added that the cargo drone is capable of medium-distance logistics deliveries up to 16 km, with a flight duration of approximately 30 minutes. It is also designed to withstand moderate weather conditions, featuring an IP55 rating for splash and dust resistance.
The drone is intended for delivering goods to locations such as ports, military operation sites, and hard-to-reach areas, thereby reducing reliance on human labour.
'We have also engaged in discussions with the army regarding the need to deliver supplies to personnel in forest areas, which is a more cost-effective solution compared to using helicopters. In addition, our target market includes commercial delivery service companies.
However, he noted that Aerotree is still awaiting full operational approval from the Civil Aviation Authority of Malaysia (CAAM), as the drone must comply with safety regulations, altitude limits, operating range, and frequency usage to ensure it does not interfere with commercial aviation systems.

Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Italy struggles to revive lagging fibre rollout plan
Italy struggles to revive lagging fibre rollout plan

The Star

time6 hours ago

  • The Star

Italy struggles to revive lagging fibre rollout plan

FILE PHOTO: Reels of optical fiber cables are seen in a storage area in Perugia, Italy, June 23, 2017. Picture taken June 23, 2017. REUTERS/Alessandro Bianchi/File Photo MILAN (Reuters) -A push by Italy's government for state-backed telecoms firms Open Fiber and FiberCop to accelerate work on a European Union-funded network plan has hit a snag as the companies are struggling to agree terms of a potential deal, three sources said. FiberCop and its smaller rival Open Fiber were entrusted with cabling more than 3 million buildings across Italy by the end of June 2026 under a 3.4 billion euro ($3.9 billion)programme aimed at rolling out ultra-fast broadband networks. Only around half of the targeted 3.4 million buildings have been upgraded, latest government data showed, with Open Fiber, which was awarded 2.2 million buildings, lagging behind FiberCop in its work. Italy has said it was considering handing KKR-backed FiberCop some of the work assigned to rival Open Fiber to speed up the rollout as it tries to meet the deadline agreed as part of a COVID-19 recovery plan. FiberCop had said it was ready to take over in full the work assigned to its rival. But government-sponsored talks between the two companies proved difficult, with FiberCop offering to take over the work at cost price by the end of this month, the sources say. Open Fiber is pushing back on such terms, arguing it would be hard to complete a potential spin-off of its areas swiftly and agreeing a fair valuation for them would take some months, the people said. Open Fiber's board of directors will discuss the situation at a board meeting on Tuesday but the chances of an agreement to hand FiberCop some of the areas are seen as low at this stage, the people said. Open Fiber and FiberCop declined to comment. Italy lags European peers in high-speed fixed-line internet coverage, with some 60% of households having access to ultrafast broadband against an EU average of 79%, according to EU data. A senior official from Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni's office said it is up to the companies to take the steps needed for an agreement and that time is running short. Open Fiber is 60% owned by state lender CDP with the remainder in the hands of Australian fund Macquarie. FiberCop was spun off last year from former state telco Telecom Italia (TIM) and sold to a KKR-led consortium, including Italy's economy ministry, under a deal worth up to 22 billion euros. Italy's conservative government is also keen to combine Open Fiber assets with those of FiberCop to create a wholesale-only telecommunications network provider under state control. ($1 = 0.8783 euros) (Reporting by Elvira PollinaEditing by Keith Weir)

Singapore's SMRT to be fined RM9.9mil for six-day train service disruption last September
Singapore's SMRT to be fined RM9.9mil for six-day train service disruption last September

The Star

time6 hours ago

  • The Star

Singapore's SMRT to be fined RM9.9mil for six-day train service disruption last September

Releasing the findings of its months-long investigation into the incident, LTA said degraded grease was likely to have caused a faulty part of a train's undercarriage to fall out, which precipitated the disruption on the morning of Sept 25, 2024. - Photo: Straits Times/ANN SINGAPORE (Bernama): Singapore's public transport operator SMRT will be fined S$3 million (RM9.9 million) following a six-day MRT service disruption on the East-West Line (EWL) in September last year, according to the Land Transport Authority (LTA). LTA said that in determining the penalty amount, the agency took into account that SMRT had borne the cost of repairs and had provided free bridging buses and regular bus services, as well as shuttle train services at the affected stations. "It also provided free travel to passengers alighting at Jurong East and Buona Vista stations for the six days of disruption. The total costs amounted to over S$10 million,' it said in a statement on Tuesday. The penalty will be channelled to the Public Transport Fund to help lower-income families with their public transport expenses. LTA said its investigation into the Sept 25 to 30, 2024 service disruption concluded that the likely cause was degraded grease in the axle box, which subsequently led to overheating and failure. This conclusion was supported by the presence and location of burnt rubber and metal pieces from the chevron springs found along the path of the affected train. However, the agency noted that it was not possible to establish a definitive root cause. On Sept 25, 2024, a dislodged axle box caused the wheels of the third car of a Kawasaki Heavy Industries (KHI) train to fall off the track, damaging the tracks between Dover station and Ulu Pandan Depot. The incident resulted in MRT service disruption between Jurong East and Buona Vista stations. Repair works were carried out over six days, and full services resumed on Oct 1, 2024. - Bernama

Indonesia submits key document in bid to join Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development
Indonesia submits key document in bid to join Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development

The Star

time7 hours ago

  • The Star

Indonesia submits key document in bid to join Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development

JAKARTA (Bernama) -- Indonesia has formally submitted its Initial Memorandum to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), one year after the country received its accession roadmap at the 2024 Ministerial Council Meeting (MCM). Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs Airlangga Hartarto led the country's delegation to Paris from June 2 to 5 to attend the OECD MCM, the ministry said in a statement on Tuesday. Airlangga, who heads the country's OECD Accession National Team, handed over the document to OECD secretary-general Matthias Cormann on Monday, marking a major milestone in its bid to join the 38-member bloc. "The completion of the Initial Memorandum within one year reflects our strong national commitment to OECD accession,' he said, while acknowledging that the path ahead remains "a long marathon' requiring continued engagement with OECD committees. According to the ministry, the Initial Memorandum outlines Indonesia's self-assessment of its compliance with OECD standards across 32 chapters and 240 legal instruments. Its drafting involved 64 ministries and agencies across 26 sectors and eight cross-sectoral areas, under Presidential Decree No. 17/2024 and Ministerial Decree No. 232/2024, the ministry added. The OECD, founded in 1961 and headquartered in Paris, provides a platform for member countries to develop evidence-based policies, share best practices and address global economic, social, and environmental challenges. - Bernama

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into the world of global news and events? Download our app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store