Saudi Arabia’s Tuwaiq Drone Challenge hosts battle for innovative solutions

Saudi Arabia’s Tuwaiq Drone Challenge hosts battle for innovative solutions
1 / 3
The competition, featuring 112 competitors from seven countries, declared five winners who received a total prize worth SR1 million ($265,000). (Supplied)
Saudi Arabia’s Tuwaiq Drone Challenge hosts battle for innovative solutions
2 / 3
The competition, featuring 112 competitors from seven countries, declared five winners who received a total prize worth SR1 million ($265,000). (Supplied)
Saudi Arabia’s Tuwaiq Drone Challenge hosts battle for innovative solutions
3 / 3
The competition, featuring 112 competitors from seven countries, declared five winners who received a total prize worth SR1 million ($265,000). (Supplied)
Short Url
Updated 08 October 2022
Follow

Saudi Arabia’s Tuwaiq Drone Challenge hosts battle for innovative solutions

Saudi Arabia’s Tuwaiq Drone Challenge hosts battle for innovative solutions
  • The Saudi Federation for Cyber Security and Programming oversaw the challenge’s planning and execution

RIYADH: Tuwaiq Drones Challenge, the largest drone competition in the region, ended on Thursday in Riyadh at the Tuwaiq Academy at Princess Nourah bint Abdulrahman University.

The competition, featuring 112 competitors from seven countries, declared five winners who received a total prize worth SR1 million ($265,000).

The Saudi Federation for Cyber Security and Programming, in collaboration with the German Dronemasters Academy, which has a wealth of drone-related experience, oversaw the challenge’s planning and execution.

The Tuwaiq Drones Challenge included an intensive training program provided by specialized experts for five days followed by a hackathon to come up with innovative ideas and solutions by employing drone technologies within three days.

Over the course of 10 days, the participants fought to find innovative technical solutions with civil uses that benefit a number of vital sectors in the Kingdom, primarily the oil and gas, industrial and logistical, agricultural and environmental, real estate and construction sectors.

The “D4F”, “CyberWings,” and “Well 7” groups won the challenge on revealing infrastructures.

The “Flying Robotics” team won for best drone delivery system, and “UAS-Falcons” picked up a prize for reducing the dangers of leaking gases.

Faisal Al-Khamisi, chairman of the board of directors of the Saudi Federation for Cyber Security and Programming, was praised the participation of the winning teams and their efforts during the challenge.

Abdullah Al-Asmari, a member of “Flying Robotics,” said that it was a tough 10 days but securing fourth place was an excellent reward.

“We worked all night to finish this project, so I can’t begin to express how happy we are to have won. Although teamwork can be difficult at times. We managed to get through and win.”

A member ofUAS-Falcon,” Mutaz Al-Tayyar, told Arab News: “I have proud feelings for myself and my team because the competition was challenging, and we are inventing solutions that will help governmental sectors, which is amazing. These 10 days were hard, but we managed to find a solution for a problem in the challenge of reducing the dangers of leaking gases.”

CEO of the federation, Mutaib Al-Quni, said: “The federation has worked over the past two years to raise national capabilities in the fields of cybersecurity and programming through qualitative courses, programs, and training camps with many local and international partners.”
 


Saudi artist expresses faith, culture at Kosovo exhibition

Saudi artist expresses faith, culture at Kosovo exhibition
Updated 02 October 2023
Follow

Saudi artist expresses faith, culture at Kosovo exhibition

Saudi artist expresses faith, culture at Kosovo exhibition
  • Ghadeer Hafez has hints of blue on black and white paintings, which portrays ‘hope’ when turning humbly to God

Jeddah: Saudi Arabia’s Ghadeer Hafez says her recent exhibition in Kosovo showcases her belief that faith can restore balance, meaning and purity in one’s life.

Her work was displayed at the Euro Kosovo International Art Festival from Sept. 22 to 29, which was held under the title “My Creative World in Kosovo,” and featured the output of 30 renowned artists from 20 countries.

Hafez was the only artist from Saudi Arabia invited to participate in the festival by Kosovo’s Ministry of Culture.

In an interview with Arab News recently, she said: “I am very keen to represent my country in international artistic forums around the world, and I consider this an integral part of my duty toward my country as a Saudi citizen and visual artist.”

In her latest work, Hafez departed from her previous style — characterized by vibrant colors depicting the hustle and bustle of life — with hints of blue on largely stark black and white paintings.

“We may get confused sometimes, but we find ourselves when we return to God. The works were dressed in two colors, black and white, as it distinguishes between the psychological state that a person experiences when he elevates his heart with God and a little ... the blue color is an expression of hope in life.”

“The goal of my artistic works is the human being and how God takes care of him.”

Hafez also believes that her work expresses Saudi Arabia culture, which she says speaks to all areas of life.


Saudi Arabia’s chief of staff meets Bahraini counterpart in Riyadh

Saudi Arabia’s chief of staff meets Bahraini counterpart in Riyadh
Updated 7 sec ago
Follow

Saudi Arabia’s chief of staff meets Bahraini counterpart in Riyadh

Saudi Arabia’s chief of staff meets Bahraini counterpart in Riyadh

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s chief of staff held discussions with his Bahraini counterpart on Sunday in Riyadh, and the two officials also visited the injured Bahraini soldiers receiving treatment in the capital.

During the meeting, Saudi Arabia’s Lt. Gen. Fayyad bin Hamid Al-Ruwaili and Bahrain’s Lt. Gen. Dhiyab bin Saqr Al-Nuaimi discussed ways to strengthen ties on the military front, the Saudi Press Agency reported.

The generals later visited the Bahraini soldiers who were injured in the Houthi drone attack on their positions last week, at Prince Sultan Military Medical City.

Al-Nuaimi wished the soldiers a speedy recovery.


Saudia reveals bold rebranding for a tech-infused future

Saudia reveals bold rebranding for a tech-infused future
Updated 02 October 2023
Follow

Saudia reveals bold rebranding for a tech-infused future

Saudia reveals bold rebranding for a tech-infused future
  • Top official says new look represents airline’s commitment to digital advancement
  • Saudia introduces option for female passengers to request seating next to other females

RIYADH: The unveiling of a new brand identity for Saudi Arabian Airlines is more than a change in its appearance, as according to a top official it is but a part of a huge transformation in the company’s approach in line with the ongoing digital transformation.

Khaled Tash, group chief marketing officer at Saudia, told Arab News on Sunday the new look represented the airline’s commitment to digital advancement and an array of new services and products in the pipeline.

He said the rebranding signifies the company’s embrace of the developing tech industry, reflecting the Kingdom’s broader ambitions.

The official said: “This is not about changing our logo or changing our colors.” It is, he added, more about improving our services and introducing new products.

“We are very keen to accelerate the transition…the overall reaction from the market” has been overwhelming, Tash said.

Elaborating on how the update reinforces the airline’s digital transformation, Tash noted that Saudia stands out as one of the pioneering airlines in Europe, the Middle East, and Africa to integrate artificial intelligence into its customer experience.

“The Travel Companion is an AI-driven personal aide. When users access the Saudia app, it intuitively recognizes them without requiring manual data input and promptly aids with all travel-related queries,” elaborated Tash.

Highlighting its capabilities, he mentioned that users can ask Saudia’s travel companion bot for holiday recommendations, which will engage in an interactive dialogue to understand preferences before offering tailored suggestions.

Additionally, users can seamlessly book their flights directly within the chat interface when conversing with the travel companion, eliminating the need to navigate away from the conversation.

The AI-driven bot is slated for launch by the end of this year, coinciding with an enhanced version of the airline’s application.

“Digital transformation is not just a buzzword that we use, we aim to improve the customer experience using new innovations,” Tash stated.

He elaborated that, guided by that motto, the company has pinpointed 260 features and services for introduction or enhancement if they already exist.

The airline has also launched a VIP meet-and-greet service. Tash expects this addition to boost revenue from booking services by 10 percent.

In alignment with Arab culture, the airline has introduced an option for female passengers to request seating next to other female passengers on specific, long-duration flights.

Tash said the unprecedented growth in the Kingdom’s tourism sector is also proving to be fruitful for the airline and it is part of the ongoing transformation. He specifically mentioned the fact that Saudia is the first airline to begin operations to and from the Red Sea International Airport.

The marketing head also revealed that the airline has ambitious goals to more than triple its passenger count over the next seven years.

Clarifying the shift in Saudia’s vision, Tash mentioned that historically, the airline’s objective was to connect the Kingdom’s citizens to the world. However, the current goal emphasizes bringing the world to Saudi Arabia.


AlUla Date Festival garners $1.6m in auction sales

AlUla Date Festival garners $1.6m in auction sales
Updated 02 October 2023
Follow

AlUla Date Festival garners $1.6m in auction sales

AlUla Date Festival garners $1.6m in auction sales
  • Events will take place every Friday and Saturday through Nov. 11
  • The first-place, 2nd-place and 3rd-place winnerswill get prizes worth SAR 75,000, SAR 50,000 and SAR 30,000, respectively

RIYADH: The AlUla Date Festival has garnered SR6 million ($1.6 million) in auction sales since it began on Sept. 8, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Sunday.

Organized by the Royal Commission for AlUla, the annual event is a celebration of the region’s culture and a boon for the economy. Events take place every Friday and Saturday until Nov. 11.

Now in its fourth edition, it includes awards for farmers for the quantity and value of their produce sold.

The winners will be selected by the royal commission, Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture, National Center for Palm and Dates, and Agricultural Development Fund.

The first-place winner will get SR75,000 ($19,997), while the second- and third-place finishers will receive SR50,000 and SR30,000 respectively.


Saudi Space Agency to explore opportunities at 74th International Astronautical Congress

Saudi Space Agency to explore opportunities at 74th International Astronautical Congress
Updated 02 October 2023
Follow

Saudi Space Agency to explore opportunities at 74th International Astronautical Congress

Saudi Space Agency to explore opportunities at 74th International Astronautical Congress

RIYADH: The Saudi Space Agency will explore opportunities with global bodies at the 74th International Astronautical Congress, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Sunday.

The event, which has over 6,000 participants every year, takes place Oct. 2 to 6 in Baku, Azerbaijan.

This year’s theme is “Global Challenges and Opportunities: Give Space a Chance.”

Saudi Arabia’s pavilion will showcase its astronaut program, history of exploration, and recent achievements in the industry.

It will also highlight the Kingdom’s cooperation with various international bodies.

The IAC’s mission is to highlight the latest advancements in the sector, and foster networking.