Dronamics, a UK- and Bulgaria-based middle-mile cargo drone manufacturer, has partnered with the Strategic Development Fund (SDF), the investment arm of the Tawazun Council, Abu Dhabi, UAE, to develop and produce Dronamics' cargo drones called “Black Swan.”

The partnership looks to establish the first serial production plant in the UAE under a joint venture (JV) agreement. The companies plan to commence production of drones in 2025 with an estimated output of 300 drones per year.

The JV also aims to leverage Dronamics' drone technology and the UAE's logistics ecosystem to provide mid-mile delivery services in the UAE and global logistics and air cargo markets.

Dronamics also partnered with Aramex, a global logistics company, to offer Dronamics' drone technology for Aramex's fleet operations, with pilots expected to commence in 2024. The companies plan to initially deploy operations in the UAE and then extend to regions like South Africa and Australia in the future. 

Analyst QuickTake: In February 2023, Dronamics raised funds from investors including the SDF. At the time, the companies noted that the investment from the SDF would be earmarked toward establishing a UAE-based JV to facilitate operations in the UAE as a hub for the Middle East and North Africa. In addition, the company also has manufacturing partnerships with Quickstep Holdings, an Australia-based aerospace composites firm (July 2022), and Cotesa, a German composite fiber components producer (September 2022).