Usage of drones to improve urban planning in difficult-to-access suburbia, most voted idea by the community in the international competition of the UAE Drones For Good Award

The use of drones in mapping for urban planning in difficult-to-access suburbia is the most voted idea from the international community amongst semi-finalists in the international competition “Drones For Good”, organized and managed by the United Arab Emirates Prime Minister's Office (PMO).

"Drones for better service delivery in slums" Team Leader David Kiarie received the International Community Award “From Idea to Reality” sponsored by Indra, from its Director of Innovation and Alliances, José Luis Angoso and the Director for the technological multinational in UAE, Alex Moya. 937 votes were cast in favour of the winning idea in iParticipa Open Innovation Platform, provided by Indra for the Competition.

In total, 4.735 users registered, 4.652 votes were cast and the ideas received over 55.000 visits and 500 comments.

Indra will support the conceptual development of the winning idea as well as the design of a business plan, providing personalised advice from experts in innovation, UAVs, smart cities and entrepreneurship. The ultimate aim is to create a start-up based on the winning idea.

Indra has collaborated in The UAE Drones for Good Award by contributing with its experience and knowledge of technology innovation and fostering new initiatives. The multinational’s Director of Innovation and Alliances, José Luis Angoso, has formed part of the Finals jury panel in Dubai for both the National and International Competitions, selecting the winning ideas respectively awarded with one million dirhams and one million dollars.

$1 million international prize

Endowed with $1 million in prize money, the Emirate government's international award went to “Flyability”, the start-up created by a Swiss team headed by Patrick Thevoz, for their small spherical drone intended for rescue missions. The UAV has the unique capacity to bump into obstacles without losing stability and of being safe enough to fly in enclosed spaces and in contact with human beings.

His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President of the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Prime Minister and Governor of Dubai, presided the awards ceremony for “Drones For Good”, which was also attended –among other dignitaries– by His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, and His Highness Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Presidential Affairs.

Many of the country's leading public figures –including particularly His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President of the United Arab Emirates, Prime Minister and Governor of Dubai– also visited the Indra stand at the event, where Alex Moya, director of Indra's subsidiary in the Emirates, presented the company to them.

Indra and entrepreneurs

Innovation is in Indra's DNA, it is the core of its business, the backbone of its sustainability as a company, and the key differential element of its solutions and services offering. As part of its open innovation model, Indra not only seeks and promotes innovation and talent internally but also through its relations with customers, partners, suppliers, universities and knowledge institutions, and society in general. Promoting the entrepreneurial spirit is an essential part of this model designed to create a more innovative ecosystem, which is the basis of a knowledge economy.

Indra demonstrates its commitment to entrepreneurship through initiatives like "Think Innovation", a global innovation competition open to anyone, which the multinational launched in 2012 to identify and support new business ideas based on technology and promote entrepreneurship, and which attracted more than 1,500 submissions. The "Entreprenurship Is Possible" initiative, a digital platform to help and advice entrepreneurs, has also been actively supported and promoted by Indra since it was first launched by the Prince of Girona Foundation (FPdGi).

The multinational also supports and takes part in entrepreneurial initiatives organized by different universities, such as Emprende UC3M, CompluEmprende, ActúaUPM and AtrEBT; Banco Santander's Yuzz Program; and Unltd Spain, an international company that supports entrepreneurs, among others.

As a multinational, Indra also plays a vital role in stimulating smaller companies, startups and spin-offs, promoting the entrepreneurial and intrapreneurial spirit of its own professionals to fuel this innovative ecosystem. In total, the multinational actively collaborates with 232 innovative SMEs, either through contracts or as a participant in R&D&i projects.

Indra, chaired by Fernando Abril-Martorell, is the leading multinational technology and consulting company in Spain and one of the leading companies in Europe and Latin America. Innovation is the cornerstone of its business and sustainability, having dedicated over €570M to R+D+i during the past three years, making it one of the leading European companies in its sector in terms of investment. With sales of approximately €3,000M, 61% of its revenue comes from the international market. The company employs 43,000 professionals and has customers in 138 countries.