Emirates Group establishes Forsa Tech platform to lead the future of aviation and travel

«Emirates Airlines» unveils «robot» to complete all travel procedures

Ahmed bin Saeed during the opening of the first edition of "Forsa Tech". From the source

Emirates Airlines revealed that it will start using a mobile robotic system, the first of its kind in the world, to complete all travel procedures, to enter service soon in the next few months of this year 2023.

At the launch of the first edition of Forsa Tech, hosted by the Emirates Group, an innovation platform to lead the future of aviation and travel, she stressed that the robotic system is capable of dealing with six languages.

In Dubai, Emirates Group hosted the first edition of FORSA TEK, an annual event and platform for establishing new opportunities, bringing together Intelaq and Aviation Xlab, as well as collaborating with key technology partners, startups and key industry players.

His Highness Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, Chairman and Chief Executive of Emirates Airline and Group, who officially opened the event, said: "Innovation has been an integral part of the Emirates Group's DNA from the outset, and we are always working to provide value and better solutions to our customers by adapting and implementing them across our business.

His Highness added: "Forsa Tech is another platform to showcase technological initiatives and their applications in our industry, as we have worked together with our like-minded partners and some of the brightest minds in the industry to build an incubating environment that offers unique and advanced initiatives in the world of travel."

For his part, Chief Operating Officer of Emirates Airline, Adel Al-Redha, said that the airline will start using a mobile robotic system, the first of its kind in the world, to complete all travel procedures, and will enter service soon in the next few months of 2023. He added that the SARA robot, which is set to change the passenger experience at airports, works seamlessly in the airport environment and can simply check in in three steps using biometric recognition.

He explained that the robot is equipped with artificial intelligence technology, and will provide other services to passengers, such as touring the airport, reservations, and baggage collection. Al-Redha confirmed that the system is fully developed locally by the Emirates Group and its partners, indicating that it is capable of dealing with six languages, including Arabic.

He added that the airline plans to deploy around 200 units of this system at Terminal 3 of Dubai International Airport over the next few years.

Al-Redha detailed that the system will be able to complete all travel procedures, including scanning documents, passport, boarding pass, facial recognition and matching it with documents, stressing that the system is unique, and will make a shift in reducing congestion at airports, and facilitating travel procedures.

He continued: «We will work to develop and improve robotics services not only for travel procedures, but by linking them with (Jawazat), to know the correct entry requirements to destinations, or documents, such as visas, or making hotel reservations».

He said that the passenger traffic data announced by Dubai Airports exceeded expectations, both for transit passengers and those who came to the emirate.

He pointed out that «flydubai» announced very positive results, stressing that the results of «Emirates Airlines» will be positive due to the recovery in the aviation sector, and the demand for travel to Dubai.

Forsa Tech will be held over two days at the Emirates Group headquarters.

It is a platform to showcase the future of travel through entrepreneurship and innovation.

Ahmed bin Saeed:

"Innovation has been an integral part of the Emirates Group's DNA from the very beginning."

Adel Al-Redha:

"(Emirates') results will be positive due to the recovery of the aviation sector and demand for travel to Dubai."

Emirates Center of Excellence in Robotics

Emirates Group and Dubai Future Foundation have signed an important partnership to launch the Emirates Centre of Excellence in Aviation Robotics (ECEAR).

Adel Al Redha, Chief Operating Officer of Emirates Airline, described the launch as a major achievement in the Emirates Group's innovation journey and an important step in the aviation industry.

"Our partnership with Dubai Future Labs will help achieve our own vision for aviation and support Dubai's vision to be one of the world's leading future cities."

Khalfan Juma Belhoul, CEO of Dubai Future Foundation, said that the launch of this research and scientific center embodies the importance of employing effective partnerships aimed at providing an incubator for the best national and international expertise in Dubai, to work on creating innovative robotic solutions that support the growth of the aviation sector, and provide diverse and new economic opportunities based on the development of the latest future technologies.

He added: "The outputs of this initiative will contribute to supporting the achievement of the outputs of the Dubai Robotics and Automation Program, launched by His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, Chairman of the Executive Council and Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Dubai Future Foundation, with the aim of making Dubai one of the world's leading cities in this field, and expanding the use of robotic applications in vital sectors."