Dubai Airshow 2025, held under the patronage of Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, is set to catapult Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) into the global spotlight. Taking place from November 17 to 21 at Dubai World Central (DWC), the event promises the largest and most diverse AAM showcase ever, uniting industry pioneers, disruptors, and policymakers to redefine the future of travel.

Read more-Dubai Airshow 2025: Expect big players, aviation innovations

The Dubai Airshow site will transform into a launchpad for revolutionary aircraft, infrastructure, and regulatory frameworks shaping AAM, as Dubai prepares to debut electric flying taxi services as early as next year. The 2025 edition will host over 1,500 exhibitors from around the globe, showcase more than 200 aircraft, and offer 12 conference tracks featuring upwards of 350 expert speakers, a WAM report said.

With the UAE rapidly advancing toward key industry milestones, the Airshow’s AAM program matches this momentum. Attendees can expect exciting aircraft reveals, breakthrough technologies, regulatory updates, and a packed agenda of keynotes, panel discussions, and networking opportunities designed to accelerate the commercial viability of AAM.

Spotlight on innovation: The AAM Pavilion

One of the event’s most anticipated highlights is the AAM Pavilion, a hub of innovation showcasing full-scale electric vertical takeoff and landing aircraft (eVTOLs) and drones that might soon take flight beyond the exhibition floor. The pavilion is poised to be a focal point of the Airshow, with headline-making announcements and a global gathering of decision-makers driving the next era of mobility.

On the Aviation Mobility Stage, supported by industry leaders such as Archer Aviation, Joby Aviation, and Inventechs, conversations will be steered by the visionaries shaping the future of flight. Archer and Joby will unveil their latest aircraft developments and market strategies, while companies like Autocraft, Eanan, and WeFly will present innovations that are set to push the industry forward.

Industry leaders speak: Ambitions and innovations

Anthony Khoury, General Manager of Joby Aviation UAE, expressed enthusiasm about the Airshow’s focus on AAM: “The Dubai Airshow’s spotlight on Advanced Air Mobility reflects the UAE’s leadership in ushering in a new era of flight. The energy and ambition here align perfectly with the global push to bring quiet, clean, and rapid air travel to communities worldwide. We are proud to showcase the progress we’re making toward turning this vision into reality.”

Waleed Alblooshi, Director of Corporate Communications at K2, highlighted his company’s commitment: “At Dubai Airshow, we proudly present our eVTOL innovation through Autocraft, our UAE subsidiary based in Abu Dhabi. This platform is a vital opportunity to demonstrate how advanced air mobility will transform city connectivity, enhance efficiency, and support the UAE’s sustainability and innovation goals. Visitors can immerse themselves in a first-class lounge-style vertiport experience at our booth, a glimpse into the future of travel.”

Alblooshi added, “Looking ahead, we aim to mass-produce our eVTOLs locally in Abu Dhabi, positioning the UAE as a global aviation manufacturing hub. Building these aircraft at scale will create new industries, transfer knowledge, and inspire the next generation of Emirati talent to lead tomorrow’s skies. Dubai Airshow isn’t just an exhibition; it’s a global stage for the nation’s aviation vision.”

New players and expanding ecosystem

The 2025 Dubai Airshow will also welcome first-time AAM exhibitors, reflecting rapid progress in infrastructure, regulation, and certification in the region and worldwide. Emerging companies such as India’s Sarla Aviation and China’s TransFuture Aviation will make their debut and participate in the AAM conference program, underscoring the growing global interest in this sector.

Opening the program will be Saif Mohammed Al-Suwaidi, Director General of the UAE’s General Civil Aviation Authority, who will present the nation’s roadmap for a connected and sustainable airspace. Key highlights include a CEO address from Adam Goldstein, Founder & CEO of Archer Aviation, titled “State of the Industry: The Archer Vision – Making Air Mobility Real.” Other notable speakers include JoeBen Bevirt, CEO of Joby Aviation, and Omran Malek, Head of the SAVI Cluster at the Abu Dhabi Investment Office, among other leaders driving AAM integration.

Building the foundations: Infrastructure is key

Infrastructure is a critical component of the AAM ecosystem, and companies like Skyports are leading the charge. Skyports will showcase its vertiport infrastructure at the AAM Pavilion, emphasising the role of proper landing hubs in fostering a thriving advanced mobility network.

Damian Kysely, Head of EMEA at Skyports Infrastructure, said, “The UAE has taken a leading stance on AAM, and as the world’s leading vertiport infrastructure developer, Skyports is proud to exhibit at Dubai Airshow. With our first commercial vertiport adjacent to Dubai International Airport under construction, and three more planned across Dubai, this event is the perfect platform to demonstrate our momentum and expertise.”

Kysely added, “Being part of the AAM Pavilion allows us to highlight to international delegates the critical role of vertiport infrastructure within the wider AAM ecosystem, alongside our strong partnerships with aircraft manufacturers. We’re proving why Skyports is the go-to vertiport infrastructure partner globally.”

Dubai’s vision for a new era in aviation

Dubai Airshow 2025 will be more than just an exhibition, it will be a powerful platform for the UAE’s vision to lead the future of aviation. With the imminent launch of electric flying taxis and a robust ecosystem of innovators, investors, and regulators, the event is set to mark a historic moment in aviation history.

From cutting-edge aircraft to pioneering infrastructure and regulatory frameworks, Dubai is positioning itself as a global hub for advanced air mobility, ready to transform how the world flies.

TECOM Group has approved an Dhs1.6bn investment to acquire 138 land plots spanning 33 million sq.ft. from Dubai Holding Asset Management, strengthening its industrial portfolio in response to strong customer demand.

The acquisition will expand TECOM Group’s total land holdings to over 209 million sq.ft. and further enhance the appeal of Dubai Industrial City, one of the region’s largest manufacturing and logistics hubs. The district is currently operating at 99 per cent occupancy, including land plots acquired last year, as the UAE’s manufacturing sector continues to grow under national strategies such as Operation 300bn, Make it in the Emirates, and the Dubai Economic Agenda ‘D33’.

“This strategic acquisition demonstrates TECOM Group’s role as a major contributor in the industrial sector in both the UAE and Dubai,” said Abdulla Belhoul, chief executive officer of TECOM Group. “Led by robust macroeconomic fundamentals and long-term strategies such as the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) framework, our nation is cementing its role as a global hub for foreign direct investment. This strategic acquisition reaffirms Dubai Industrial City’s significant role in advancing the country’s manufacturing sector and serving growing demand from existing and new customers.”

He added: “With a future-focused strategy underpinned by our healthy liquidity, we are leveraging favourable market dynamics and actively investing towards growing our world-class portfolio of industrial assets with the aim of unlocking greater long-term value for our shareholders.”

The investment builds on TECOM Group’s strategic expansion, bringing its total investments across its Commercial and Industrial portfolio to Dhs4.3bn since 2024. Last year, the Group acquired 13.9 million sq.ft. of land in Dubai Industrial City, which has since been fully leased to customers across six key sectors including food and beverage, base metals, and transport.

Read: TECOM Group announces leadership change with new CFO

The latest acquisition, executed through subsidiary Dubai Industrial City, will be financed through existing resources under a flexible repayment plan. Revenue recognition from the new land plots is expected to begin within 12 to 24 months, while the Group maintains a healthy leverage and liquidity position.

The transaction followed international best practices and regulatory requirements, including valuations conducted by independent, accredited parties.

The announcement comes after TECOM Group reported strong H1 2025 results, with net profit rising 22 per cent year-on-year to Dhs737m and revenue up 21 per cent to Dhs1.4bn, supported by high occupancy rates and increasing rental yields.

Established in 2004, Dubai Industrial City is home to more than 350 operational factories and serves regional and global customers with industrial land, storage, and logistics spaces. Its strategic location near Jebel Ali Port, Al Maktoum International Airport, and the Etihad Rail freight terminal underpins its role as a vital link in global supply chains.

Cisco has identified five priority actions for healthcare organizations in the UAE to strengthen cybersecurity and build digital resilience as hospitals and providers face rising threats to patient data.

The healthcare industry is a key target for cyberattacks globally due to the value of patient records, reliance on outdated systems, and human vulnerabilities, Cisco said.

In the UAE, the risks are amplified by the sector’s rapid digital transformation, with the Department of Health Abu Dhabi already setting standards through its ADHICS cybersecurity framework.

Fady Younes, Cisco’s managing director for cybersecurity in the Middle East, Africa, Türkiye, Romania and CIS, said cybersecurity “is no longer just an IT issue. It is a core component of patient services and enabling digital resilience in healthcare.”

Cisco on protective steps healthcare organisations should take

Healthcare organisations should focus on five main actions:

1. Treat obsolete IT systems as systemic risks: Outdated systems and medical devices pose direct threats to care delivery. Regulators should push providers to identify and replace vulnerable legacy infrastructure.

2. Reimagine IT spending models: Hospitals need budget flexibility between capital and operational expenditures to adopt subscription-based cybersecurity solutions, Cisco said.

3. Make cybersecurity training a strategic priority: Staff across all levels should undergo regular, sector-specific training, including simulations to maintain care during system downtime.

4. Encourage resource sharing and collaboration: Smaller hospitals lacking dedicated cybersecurity teams can benefit from regional partnerships, joint exercises, and shared threat intelligence.

5. Prioritise protection of electronic health records (EHRs): EHRs must meet strict security standards including encryption, access controls, and interoperability safeguards to prevent breaches.

Cisco said building a resilient healthcare ecosystem requires government, regulators, providers, and technology partners to embed security culture and address systemic risks together.

Read: Cybersecurity – Why ‘public-private-people’ partnerships hold the key

Dubai Future Foundation (DFF) and Amazon UAE have launched a new programme under the emirate’s “Sandbox Dubai” initiative that will allow individuals to deliver Amazon packages on foot, creating opportunities within the gig economy.

The pilot, part of Sandbox Dubai’s gig economy sector, was approved by Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence of the UAE, Chairman of The Executive Council of Dubai and Chairman of DFF’s board of trustees.

The initiative aims to shape regulations for new economic models while offering flexible income opportunities for individuals and small businesses.

Dubai Future Foundation said the programme could reduce reliance on delivery vehicles in densely populated areas, helping to cut traffic congestion and carbon emissions in line with the emirate’s sustainability goals.

Amazon, DFF pilot to boost gig economy and entrepreneurship

Ronaldo Mouchawar, vice president of Amazon Middle East, Africa, and Turkey, said the company would use its “global expertise, scale, and technology to create new possibilities that boost the gig economy and entrepreneurship, as well as promote economic growth through greater flexibility for individuals and businesses.”

Khalfan Belhoul, chief executive of DFF, said the collaboration with Amazon supports the emirate’s efforts to “develop the legislative environment supporting innovation” and strengthen Dubai’s competitiveness.

Sandbox Dubai is part of the Dubai Economic Agenda (D33), which seeks to double the emirate’s economy over the next decade and position it among the world’s top three global cities.

Read: Amazon Bazaar launches in UAE: products as low as Dhs4

There is a surgical data dilemma in today’s operating theatres (OTs) that embodies striking contrasts: cutting-edge robotic arms share space with hastily recorded notes on blood-stained paper, while computer terminals distract caregivers with a daunting array of data fields.

Despite advancements in technology, even top Middle East hospitals lack reliable data on what happens inside the OR.

Understanding what separates excellent surgical outcomes from poor ones, or operations that run like clockwork from the chronically inefficient ones, often remains elusive.

A systematic review of 91 studies found significant inconsistency in how OTs collect data, reinforcing the need for more structured, trustworthy, and real-time data practices in surgical environments.

Surgery often operates at extremes, with outcomes ranging from miraculous to catastrophic. When successful, surgical teams are heroes. And when surgeries are conducted with operational efficiency, everyone wins: more patients are treated, patients benefit from reduced risks of infection, and hospitals earn more revenue at greater margins.

In the UAE, healthcare quality and efficiency are quickly advancing under digital health agendas of the DOH (Abu Dhabi) and DHA (Dubai). As the country invests in advanced surgical technologies and smart hospital infrastructure, the ability to capture clean, real-time data in the OT is essential to ensuring those innovations and best practices lead to a measurable impact.

So, how can hospitals optimise notoriously data-poor, high-complexity processes where patient lives and hospital economics alike are on the line?

What’s needed are technologies that not only improve data capture but also meet clinicians where they are in their workflows.

Tools that bend to them as human professionals, freeing their attention to focus on care and collaboration, instead of driving documentation burnout and job dissatisfaction.

The promise and peril of voice technology

Even within the generally risk-averse healthcare industry, it’s especially challenging to introduce new technologies to surgical environments.

Maintaining sterility amidst constant movement and unpredictability, along with the time pressure of cases and high-stakes decisions, all contribute to an environment where less can be more and technology must get out of the way.

Voice technology faces similarly stark extremes of outcomes, though typically, with lower stakes. When voice systems fail to understand, users quickly abandon them. But when voice technology succeeds, seamlessly and reliably, it feels magical.

Incidentally, the chaotic but delicate nature of the OT environment is a uniquely strong fit for voice technology’s ability to aid users who must stay hands-free, juggle multiple tasks at any given time, and need to input or access data in an instant without fumbling with a keyboard and mouse.

When a voice assistant can seamlessly capture commands like “record tourniquet inflation at 09:37”, or “set a 60-minute reminder for the next antibiotic dose”, clinicians experience effortless integration into their workflow. But delivering on this promise brings with it both technical and design challenges.

Documentation: From distraction to flow

Surgical teams are frequently burdened by essential yet distracting tasks.

Constantly shifting attention from patients to interdepartmental phone calls, pen-and-paper documentation, and cumbersome electronic medical record (EMR) interfaces disrupts efficiency and can compromise patient safety, illustrating an irony of modern surgery: extraordinary technologies support complex clinical interventions, yet fundamental workflow challenges stubbornly persist.

With voice-enabled systems in the OT, clinicians can document and coordinate hands-free, allowing them to stay focused on patient care.

As surgery progresses, key updates can be automatically shared with perioperative teams and departments that often face delays, like the post anesthesia care unit (PACU).

For example, if a case is running longer than expected due to a complication, the system can trigger an alert to the OT manager that “OT4 is running 30 minutes behind scheduled Wheels Out time”, helping teams respond in real time to avoid bottlenecks.

Voice also enables the capture of more specific, real-time clinical details – essential for fueling continuous improvement initiatives and ensuring accurate billing. When clinicians document unexpected intraoperative events by simply saying “record unplanned laparoscopic-to-open conversion at 10:45”, hospitals significantly reduce reimbursement disputes. When documentation is as easy as talking while repositioning a patient, this revenue gap closes quickly.

Easing mental load and elevating safety

Even the simplest voice assistant features, like setting a timer or reminder, become surprisingly valuable in a clinical context. Saying, “remind me to check on specimen pickup in 20 minutes”, or “remind me to check blood products at 11:15″, helps reduce cognitive load and minimise avoidable errors. Adoption isn’t just driven by convenience, but by a belief in its clinical value. Roughly 69 per cent of doctors want more workflow-embedded AI tools like this.

The potential of voice technology extends beyond efficiency. By reducing direct device interactions and surface touches, it significantly decreases contamination risks, potentially lowering the incidence of surgical site infections (SSIs).

Voice technology complements other OT AI systems, such as video and ambient audio tools, which rely on passive inference – extracting meaning from raw recordings without human input. Voice, by contrast, is explicit. A system might detect “a syringe was used,” but only a clinician saying, “document 1 mg epinephrine push due to sudden hypotension”, captures the why.

Voice preserves intent, and by extension, clinical judgment.

Read: Using AI for medical diagnosis? What you should know about its safety

A future of surgical clarity

Ultimately, voice technology represents far more than streamlined documentation; it embodies clearer communication, precise clinical records, reduced cognitive burden, and enhanced patient safety.

While voice has already transformed millions of doctor offices globally, bringing it into the OT demands solving for noise, diverse accents, and real-time decision-making. But recent breakthroughs in speech recognition and AI now make it possible to capture structured, actionable insights from voice, even in the most complex surgical environments.

Leveraging voice assistants that are tailored explicitly for the OT empowers regional clinicians to overcome both technical and workflow-specific hurdles. By combining advanced AI solutions with human-centered design, voice becomes more than a high-tech upgrade; it becomes a trusted, sterile-ready tool, an invisible teammate, and a natural extension of the surgical team.

This vision also aligns with the We the UAE 2031 initiative, which emphasises building an advanced, integrated healthcare system that upholds national values and ensures high levels of readiness. As regional hospitals continue leading with innovation, voice technology offers a clear path to unlock safer, more efficient, and higher-quality care – at scale, and on the front lines.

Eric Turkington is the chief product officer (CPO) at Rain Stella Technologies