Kuala lumpur: The Selangor state government has allocated RM500,000 to strengthen the development and expansion of the state's drone technology ecosystem, in line with efforts to drive growth in the high-impact sector by 2027.
According to BERNAMA News Agency, State Islamic Affairs and Innovation Culture Committee chairman Dr Mohammad Fahmi Ngah stated that the allocation also covers upgrading works for the Droneport-1000 project at Universiti Selangor (Unisel). It aims to support strategic programs to attract greater participation from local and international companies in the drone industry.
Dr Mohammad Fahmi mentioned that this allocation is higher than previous amounts and emphasized the focus on completing upgrading works at existing facilities. Additionally, he highlighted the importance of developing strategic programs in collaboration with the private sector. He shared these insights after the pre-launch ceremony of Droneport-1000 at Unisel Bestari Jaya.
The event was attended by Unisel president and vice-chancellor Prof Emeritus Datuk Dr Hassan Basri, Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) Selangor deputy director Mohd Firdaus Ismail, and National Aerospace Industry Corporation Malaysia (NAICO) senior vice-president (Industry Development Division) Dr Khalid Nor.
Mohammad Fahmi also announced plans to offer incentives such as matching grants to encourage more local and foreign industry players to engage in developing the drone platform in Selangor. He noted the potential for unlimited economic returns from the Droneport-1000 project due to its role in future growth within the airspace sector and drone technology integration across multiple industries in Selangor.
The Droneport-1000 project encompasses the largest designated airspace area in Malaysia, covering 24 square kilometers with an altitude of up to 1,000 meters. It is currently in the process of obtaining full certification from the Civil Aviation Authority of Malaysia (CAAM).
He added that the sector's development is not limited to drone hardware but also includes software development, artificial intelligence (AI), and the semiconductor chip supply chain being developed in Puchong. The initiative is led by a state government subsidiary and Geospatial SmartSel (SELGEM), with support from leading local technology companies like Aerodyne to enhance the state's digital innovation.
Dr Mohammad Fahmi emphasized that the area monitored by drones in Selangor is significantly larger than Singapore, enabling better tracking of issues such as forest reserve encroachment, coastal erosion, and bund breaches. Drones, combined with AI technology, can address these issues more comprehensively by providing faster analysis and reducing reliance on manual manpower.
Moreover, Selangor Aviation and Technology Innovation (SELATI) chief executive officer Zannifa Azura Ahmad explained that the project is designed to unite industry players and academia to bridge the gap between research and product commercialization. Through strategic collaboration with Unisel, Droneport-1000 aims to connect knowledge with real-world applications, research with commercialization, and young talent with industry opportunities.