Abu Dhabi to manufacture 20 unmanned aerial vehicles in region's first facility
Abu Dhabi opened a new facility, the first-of-its-kind in Mena, which aims to produce more than 20 high-altitude unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs).
The region's first High-Altitude Aerial Platform (HAPS) facility, opened by Mira Aerospace, a subsidiary of Space42, spans 4,500 sqm. The UAVs will support diverse applications spanning the civil, environmental, and defence sectors.
'Global demand for High-Altitude Platform (HAPS) technologies is growing rapidly, and Space42 seeks to consolidate its leadership in this field through carefully considered strategic investments,' said Khaled Al Marzouqi, CEO of Mira Aerospace.
The opening of the HAPS facility is part of UAE's drive to build sovereign capabilities in space technology, manufacturing, and research and development, in line with the objectives of the National Space Strategy 2030.
Space42 is the first company to demonstrate 5G connectivity from the stratosphere via heavier-than-air platforms.
In February 2025, the company signed a cooperation agreement with Maydan X to establish a permanent test centre for high-altitude, long-duration drone flight experiments. In October 2024, the company developed two advanced payloads to support applications in environmental monitoring, disaster management, urban planning, and agriculture.
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