KUALA SELANGOR: 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.
State Islamic affairs and innovation culture committee chairman Dr Mohammad Fahmi Ngah said the allocation also covers upgrading works for the Droneport-1000 project at Universiti Selangor (Unisel), as well as supporting strategic programmes to attract greater participation from local and international companies in the drone industry.
"This allocation is higher than before. Our main focus is to complete upgrading works at existing facilities and develop strategic programmes in collaboration with the private sector," he said after the pre-launch ceremony of Droneport-1000 at Unisel Bestari Jaya Thursday (July 30).
Also present were 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 said the state is also planning to offer incentives such as matching grants to attract more local and foreign industry players to participate in developing the drone platform in Selangor.
On the potential return on investment for the Droneport-1000 project, Mohammad Fahmi said it could generate unlimited economic potential, as the airspace sector and drone technology integration are key future growth drivers for Selangor across multiple industries.
He said the Droneport-1000 project covers the largest designated airspace area in Malaysia, spanning 24 square kilometres with an altitude of up to 1,000 metres, and is currently in the process of obtaining full certification from the Civil Aviation Authority of Malaysia (CAAM).
He added that the sector is not limited to drone hardware, but also includes software development, artificial intelligence (AI), and the semiconductor chip supply chain currently being developed in Puchong.
He said the initiative, led by a state government subsidiary and Geospatial SmartSel (SELGEM), is also supported by the involvement of leading local technology companies such as Aerodyne to strengthen the state's digital innovation.
"The area to be monitored in Selangor is up to 10 times larger than Singapore. With drones and AI technology, issues such as forest reserve encroachment, coastal erosion and bund breaches can be better tracked.
"With drone technology, these issues can be addressed more comprehensively, as drones can analyse faster while reducing reliance on manual manpower," he said.
Meanwhile, Selangor Aviation & Technology Innovation (SELATI) chief executive officer Zannifa Azura Ahmad said the project is designed to bring together industry players and academia to bridge the gap between research and product commercialisation.
"Through strategic collaboration with Unisel, we aim to position Droneport-1000 as a bridge connecting knowledge with real-world applications, research with commercialisation, and young talent with industry opportunities," she said. - Bernama
