UAE-based LODD Autonomous plans to conduct what it says will be the world’s first cross-border autonomous drone test flight for a civilian operation in 2027, said the company’s chief executive.

The flight will be carried out during pilot testing of the company’s “HILI” hybrid vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) aircraft, with the aircraft departing from the United Arab Emirates for a neighbouring country, CEO Rashid Matar Al Manai told the Emirates News Agency (WAM).

The test will be conducted in cooperation with local and international logistics service providers, Al Manai said on the sidelines of the company’s participation in Investopia Bridge 2026.

He said the initiative would help lay the groundwork for delivering HILI aircraft to customers in the UAE and overseas.

LODD Autonomous is continuing flight tests of the HILI aircraft in Al Ain and is preparing to submit a final certification application to the relevant authorities, Al Manai said. The company has also begun initial manufacturing ahead of the planned pilot testing phase in 2027.

The company has received more than 330 orders for HILI aircraft from local and international companies, with overseas orders accounting for more than 70% of the total, Al Manai said.

He attributed the demand to confidence in the UAE and its growing advanced manufacturing ecosystem.

LODD Autonomous employs more than 100 people, about 30% of whom are graduates of UAE universities, Al Manai said, adding that employees are involved across the aircraft’s development stages.

Al Manai said he was proud of the company’s participation in Investopia Bridge and its inclusion among 100 future companies.

The recognition would encourage LODD Autonomous to continue developing unmanned aircraft for airspace operations and contribute to changes in the global air-cargo sector, he added.