PLANS are underway to develop Malaysia’s drone sector into a RM50.7bil industry by expanding its use across public services, says the Science, Technology and Innovation Ministry.
The target will be achieved through the Malaysia Drone Technology Action Plan 2022-2030, which aims to transform Malaysia from merely a user into a developer of home-grown drone technology.
“This is also expected to create 100,000 high-value job opportunities by 2030,” it said in a parliamentary written reply.
To spur innovation, the ministry said the National Technology and Innovation Sandbox (NTIS) would provide regulatory facilitation and testing grants for local drone developers.
“This includes collaboration with the Civil Aviation Authority of Malaysia and the Survey and Mapping Department to provide special approvals or regulatory relaxations for testing drone solutions in real-world environments.
“NTIS will also facilitate testing grants and matching funds through the Malaysian Technology Development Corporation,” it added.
It said the initiative would help start-ups improve the technology readiness of their products before deployment in government operations.
It noted that drone technology is already being deployed across several sectors, including disaster response, agriculture, defence, healthcare, municipal management and security.
The Special Drone Emergency Response Team, comprising the country’s emergency services, currently uses drones for disaster monitoring and search-and-rescue operations, it said.
In healthcare, the ministry said the Health Ministry is piloting autonomous drones to deliver critical medical supplies to remote and hard-to-reach communities.
It added that the Malaysia Research Accelerator for Technology and Innovation currently operates AI-powered drones that conduct round-the-clock security patrols and intrusion detection at its technology park and Area57.
The ministry was responding to a question from Dr Siti Mastura Muhammad (PN-Kepala Batas), who sought an update on the government’s drone policies and the adoption of drone technology by government agencies.
