Sharjah embraces Innovation Week with technology ideas

ABU DHABI // UAE Innovation Week began across the country on Sunday with events to promote extraordinary ideas among communities.

In Sharjah, the spirit of creativity was in the air as Sheikh Sultan bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, the emirate’s Crown Prince and Deputy Ruler, hailed the crucial role the country is playing to promote innovation.

Among them is the Sharjah Environment and Protected Areas Authority’s use of drones to monitor wildlife, gathering data while saving on manpower, time and financial cost.

“Sending in employees to scour the area and monitor birds and animals requires a lot of physical effort and time,” said Hana Al Suwaidi, the authority’s director.

“We have been using drones to capture birds and animal locations and monitor their behaviour and their mating season, which allowed us to gather a lot of information without disturbing the wildlife.”

In Khor Kalba, drone footage captured three types of turtles feeding in the area.

Sharjah Police is also making use of drone technology.

“The drone is capable of transmitting a live feed to the police command centre using a 4k camera that can scour the water in search for missing bodies from drowning incidents,” said First Lt Omar Ali.

Through audio and video on the drone, police can guide and issue warnings to beachgoers who swim too far out to sea, telling them to return to the coast. It can also be used to assist firefighters tackling a blaze.

In Abu Dhabi, schools will be getting involved in Innovation Week by encouraging pupils towards science, technology, engineering and maths subjects.

Abu Dhabi Education Council, in collaboration with Mubadala, is organising the “2016 Make It competition” Monday and Wednesday to attract the best and brightest new talent into manufacturing and engineering.

The education regulator has also linked up with Boeing for “Explore Science with your Family”, where pupils will learn through engineering design challenges.