Under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, Abu Dhabi National Exhibitions Company (ADNEC) has successfully completed the 4th edition of the Unmanned Systems Exhibition (UMEX 2020) and Simulation and Training Exhibition (SimTEX 2020).
The edition was opened by His Highness Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Presidential Affairs. His Highness Sheikh Mansour said UMEX and SimTEX 2020 are a ”gateway to the future” and ”an exceptional opportunity” to stimulate and encourage innovation.
”The UAE has strengthened its presence and reputation in advanced technologies and industries,” he added. Sheikh Mansour also watched a live demonstration in which artificial intelligence, robots and drones are used.
The 4th edition of both exhibitions proved to be the largest in their history, since their inception in 2015.
The three-day event was an exhibition and conference to convene experts, academic researchers, governments and the private sector to explore challenges and opportunities that have emerged as a result of artificial intelligence and the fourth Industrial Revolution.
Umex is also the only event in the Middle East that focuses specifically on drones, robotics, and unmanned systems. It reflects the commitment of the UAE government to not just acknowledge but also invest in new technologies that continue to shape the entire world’s future.
That is why this exhibition goes from strength to strength with every new edition.
This year, the number of exhibitors increased to 166 companies, with a 33% growth compared to the 2018 edition which featured 120, and the total exhibition space increased by 40%, to 25,500 sqm, against the space of the previous edition, which was 17,000 sqm.
The number of participating countries increased to 30 in addition to seven national pavilions. The number of national companies participating in the event reached 66, constituting 40% of the total number of exhibitors.
UMEX and SimTEX 2020 attracted almost 26,000 visitors from all over the world.
UAE unveils first locally made VTOL drone
In a landmark development, the first UAE-made vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) ‘Garmousha’ was launched by on the first day of the exhibition.
Garmousha, a drone that resembles a helicopter, was designed by Adasi, a subsidiary of Abu Dhabi’s defence company Edge, in a deal with the General Headquarters of the UAE Armed Forces.
The light military drone can be used for surveillance at border areas and critical infrastructure sites like oil rigs, and for inspections depending on the type of payload. Garmousha can be used for light weaponization, according to top officials.
His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed and His Highness Sheikh Hazza in Zayed visit UMEX and SimTEX 2020
His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces, visited the UMEX and SimTEX exhibitions on Monday, February 25, the second day of the exhibition.
Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed was shown the country’s first locally-made drone.
”Research, innovation and development are the backbone of advanced industry,” he said on Twitter, appreciating the event as well as the country’s first indigenously developed drone.
”The UAE, as part of its strategy of preparing for the future, invests in the technology of the Fourth Industrial Revolution and artificial intelligence.”
Sheikh Hazza bin Zayed Al Nahyan visited UMXEX & SimTEX 2020.
During his tour Sheikh Hazza was briefed about the latest technologies presented by participating international companies in the areas of robotics, artificial intelligence, AI, unmanned systems, advanced industries, simulation and training.
He said the exhibitions have grown in terms of their international participation, the volume of deals and types of systems presented, affirming Abu Dhabi’s reputation as a centre of innovation and its ability to host and organise global events.
Landmark defence deals signed
A large number of trade deals, valued at approximately AED 749,081,718, were signed during the three-day event.
The UAE Armed Forces announced the signing of five deals with a total combined value of over AED 156,000,000 on the first day of the event.
According to official figures, the total value of external deals reached AED 90,575,681 while total local contract deals amounted to AED 65,515,824.
On the second day the UAE Armed Forces signed seven new deals worth AED 468 million, taking the total value to AED 624,962,659. External deals reached AED 25,821,190 and local contract deals reached AED 443,049,964, representing 94 per cent of total deals signed in the second day.
11 deals were signed during the 3rd day of the exhibition with a total value exceeding AED 124 million. Total foreign contract deals reached AED 3,041,244, while the total number of local contracts deals amounted to AED 121,077,815.
Contracts were signed with the Abu Dhabi Autonomous Systems Investments Company, ADASI, to purchase drone systems at a value of AED 180,426,908, in addition to a contract to supply the Armed Forces with new unmanned Helicopters “Camcopter S-100” at a value of AED 234 million.
A contract was also signed with Denel Dynamics from South Africa to purchase drones at the value of AED 25,821,190, and another contract with EARTH to purchase unmanned vehicles at a value of AED 22,573,056. Al Awael company was contracted to supply simulations and training system for firefighting on behalf of the Abu Dhabi Police at a value of AED 3.2 million.
ION Technology company was contracted to purchase a simulation system to detect explosives for Abu Dhabi Police at a value of AED 2.3 million.
Yet more contracts were signed with “State Foreign Trade Enterprises” (Ukraine) to provide technical assistance for drones at a value of AED 3,041,244, International Golden Group to purchase drones worth AED 33,352,936 dirhams, and Al Fattan Shipbuilding Company to purchase maritime targets on behalf of the General Headquarters, GHQ, of the UAE Armed Forces, at a value AED 18,183,830.
Ahmed Al Mazrouei Metal Industries Company has been contracted to purchase electronic systems and land targets for the General Headquarters, GHQ, of the UAE Armed Forces at a value of AED 20,273,030, Microsoft Gulf for the Ministry of Interior with a value of AED 1,733,632 and technology projects solutions company for the Ministry of Interior with a value of AED 1,498,750.
Furthermore, the Emirates Photography and Marketing Company was contracted on behalf of the Ministry of Interior at a value of AED 31,287,995 and the Emirates Alliance for Technical Solutions for the Ministry of Interior with a value of AED 1,547,022, Gulf Business Machines for the Ministry of Interior with a value of AED 4,640,000 and AGI 4S for security solutions on behalf of the Ministry of Interior, with a value of AED 7,064,620 and for the Emirates Fire and Rescue Company, on behalf of the Ministry of Interior, for a value of AED 1,496,000.
UMEX and SimTEX 2020 Conference
The UMEX and SimTEX 2020 Conference was held under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces in Abu Dhabi National Exhibitions Centre, on February 22nd.
The conference, held under the theme ‘Manned-Unmanned Teaming in the Age of Smart Systems’, attracted leading experts, academic researchers and global thought leaders who exchanged views and explored the challenges and opportunities that emerged as a result of artificial intelligence and the fourth industrial revolution. The conference agenda consisted of four keynote sessions and four panel discussions that hosted a group of 21 national and international speakers from 11 countries. 600 attendees participated in the conference, with a 100% increase from the previous edition. The conference agenda covered four main themes, namely: Human Dimension, Missions and Operations, Industry and Market, and Border Security.
The Human Dimensions theme addressed the human aspects of the unmanned systems and the mutual roles of manned and unmanned systems in the age of autonomy. For the second theme, the conference discussesed Missions and Operations, examining the role of unmanned systems in supporting multi-domain operations, in addition to missions and operations in line with the Fourth Industrial Revolution. The third theme at UMEX and SimTEX 2020 special conference covered the future of the unmanned systems sector and the integration and interoperability of unmanned systems. Finally, border security has been added to this year’s conference as a fourth theme and as one of the main topics for debate and discussions. It is one of the new topics at the conference where experts and decision makers on the border security sector discussed the implications of the digital age on joint action in ports and border security as well as its new intellectual approach in the light of the Fourth Industrial Revolution.
The panel discussions highlighted aspects of cooperation between manned and unmanned systems in the age of intelligent systems, as well as border security in the digital world. The conference activities addressed issues such as organizing training sessions, renewal of simulation systems and next generation of advanced technologies.
The conference promoted the UAE as a leading global destination for hosting specialised conferences in the fields of unmanned systems, training and simulation systems and border security systems. The conference sought to find innovative solutions to current challenges, and to anticipate the future in a world of rapid scientific developments and innovations and increased dependence on unmanned systems and artificial intelligence. It also aimed to address the latest scientific and technological developments in these fields, and to share and exchange the ever-evolving best practices. Moreover, the conference provided the audience and speakers with an opportunity to explore and develop a better understanding of the daunting challenges facing mankind today. It also brought focus on the advanced participation of the unmanned systems technologies and their role in achieving its full capacity during the upcoming decade.
