Chinese drone delivery company launches operations in Dubai following BVLOS approval

Keeta Drone, a subsidiary of Chinese technology and retail company Meituan, has received a commercial license for beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS) drone deliveries from the Dubai Civil Aviation Authority (DCAA). 

With this approval, the company has officially launched the Keeta Drone delivery service with four operational drone delivery routes at Dubai Silicon Oasis, serving locations such as the Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT-Dubai) and Dubai Digital Park. These routes will enable the delivery of food, medicine, and other essential items. Keeta Drone uses the M-Drone Gen 3, a six-rotor drone with a maximum load capacity of 2.3kg.

As part of its collaboration with partners like Fakeeh University Hospital, Americana, and Rochester Institute of Technology, Keeta Drone is exploring expanded use cases of drone technology, including emergency services and high-priority medical deliveries. The Dubai venture is the company’s first major international operation. Meituan began exploring drones for local deliveries in 2017 and launched its first commercial delivery service in Shenzhen, China in 2021. As of December 2024, Keeta Drone operates 53 routes in Chinese cities.