Abu Dhabi's ADNOC Partners With TII And ASPIRE On Autonomous Drone System For Emergency Response

Abu Dhabi-owned national oil firm ADNOC, together with the Technology Innovation Institute (TII), the applied research center of the emirate’s Advanced Technology Research Council (ATRC), and ASPIRE, the technology program management arm of ATRC, have announced a pilot project to test and deploy coordinated autonomous drone fleets for aerial disaster monitoring and emergency response. 

The agreement, which was signed during Abu Dhabi Autonomous Week 2025, focuses on integrating autonomous aviation technologies into ADNOC’s emergency operations. The collaboration will see TII, working with ADNOC and supported by ASPIRE, developing a system that provides ADNOC’s crisis management center with real-time aerial intelligence during emergency situations. The project brings together long-range autonomous drones, swarm-based systems, and facility-level drones within one operational framework. 

At ADNOC sites, drones will be able to launch automatically and stream live videos directly to ADNOC headquarters. Broader monitoring and long-range incident response will rely on autonomous unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) deployed from ADNOC’s network of unmanned aerial vehicle hubs, along with smaller drones linked back to headquarters for nationwide coverage. For large-scale incidents, fleets of autonomous drones can be deployed via a mothership platform to scan wide areas, locate stranded individuals, and offer connectivity and informational support. These combined capabilities are designed to help ADNOC reduce response times, improve situational awareness, and limit risk to frontline teams. 

A scene from the partnership signing ceremony between representatives of ADNOC, TII, and ASPIRE.

In a statement, Khaled Alblooshi, Vice President, Digital Projects and Innovations at ADNOC, said, “ADNOC continues to leverage advanced technologies, including drones and robotics to enhance the safety and efficiency of our people and operations. Through this partnership with TII and ASPIRE, we will explore how coordinated drone fleets can be deployed to provide real-time intelligence across our value chain and better protect our people and assets.”  

Andrew Strefford, Executive Director at ASPIRE, added, “Emergencies demand speed and clarity, and this collaboration is about delivering both. By combining ADNOC’s operational expertise with ARRC’s advanced robotics, we are showing how coordinated drone systems can provide immediate, actionable insights when they matter most. For Abu Dhabi, this is not just a pilot; it is an example of how applied R&D can turn deep tech into life-saving solutions that redefine resilience in critical industries.” 

Professor Enrico Natalizio, Chief Researcher of TII’s Autonomous Robotics Research Center, said, “Drone autonomy has reached a point where single-use applications are no longer enough. What we are building with ADNOC is a coordinated, multi-layered system that integrates autonomous, long-range, and swarm operations into one seamless framework. By plugging directly into ADNOC’s Crisis Management Center, we are validating technologies that could be scaled across the wider energy and utilities sectors." 

The pilot will operate under ADNOC’s Health, Safety, and Environment (HSE) framework. Full deployment will be assessed after completion of the proof-of-concept. Beyond ADNOC’s operations, the initiative represents a step toward incorporating coordinated drone fleets into live crisis response, with potential applications across critical infrastructure including utilities, energy, transport and environmental management. The collaboration thus reflects Abu Dhabi’s ongoing efforts to apply autonomy in ways that support safety, asset protection, and environmental management. 

Pictured in the lead image is a scene from the partnership signing ceremony between representatives of ADNOC, TII, and ASPIRE. All images courtesy ADNOC/TII/ASPIRE.