Plenty of engineering and technology graduates in the UAE understand how drones work. Far fewer have flown one under the supervision of a certified instructor, inside the regulatory framework that governs real operations. That gap matters. The country’s surveyors, inspectors and project teams increasingly need people who can plan a flight, hold the right approvals and deliver usable data on site, not just explain the theory behind it.

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On 7 April 2026, FEDS and Abu Dhabi University (ADU) signed a three-year memorandum of understanding aimed at closing exactly that gap.

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What does the FEDS and Abu Dhabi University partnership cover?

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Over the next three years, we are working with ADU to give its students a practical route into drone operations. We are setting up the university’s campus as an approved site for UAV training and testing, offering ADU students reduced rates on our courses, and running research projects and workshops together.

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Our plans reach beyond the classroom. We aim to collaborate on research and development in drone technologies, host seminars and innovation competitions for students, and apply jointly for research funding. The training runs through FEDS Drone Academy, our DCAA and GCAA authorised training centre and a certified DJI and EagleNXT Academy. That accreditation is the difference between a course that teaches you to fly and one that prepares you to operate legally on a live project.

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Why does regulated, hands-on drone training matter?

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A capable drone pilot needs two things that a lecture alone cannot provide: time at the controls, and a working understanding of the approvals that govern where and when a flight can happen. Drone operations in the UAE require coordination with the relevant authorities, and pilots who train inside that framework from the start carry that knowledge into their first job rather than learning it under pressure later.

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The demand is real and local. The UAE’s giga-projects, road and rail expansions, and coastal developments all rely on accurate aerial data for surveying, mapping and asset inspection. Each of those tasks needs an operator who can produce results to standard, safely, and with the right paperwork in place.

“When a student finishes with us, I want them flying with confidence, not just holding a certificate.”
— Rabih Bou Rached, CEO, FEDS Group

What this means for students and the UAE drone sector

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For students, the partnership turns university study into a route towards a working qualification. They gain access to certified training, real flight time and a campus set up for UAV testing before they graduate, alongside reduced course rates and the chance to take part in competitions and joint research.

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For the sector, the benefit compounds. Every cohort that leaves ADU with practical, certified drone skills adds to a pool of operators and researchers who can contribute from day one. As surveying, inspection and mapping work grows across the Emirates, that steady supply of qualified people is what keeps projects moving and standards high.

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Partnerships like this one turn academic knowledge into operational skill before a graduate reaches the job market. Students interested in certified drone training can explore the full range of FEDS Drone Academy courses, from recreational refreshers through to commercial certification and drone surveying.

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