Aerotree Introduces Malaysia's First Cargo Drone, Targeting Logistics, Defence Sectors
GENERAL
By Nazira Hasanah Nasaruddin
LANGKAWI, May 24 (Bernama) -- In a move to enhance Malaysia's logistics and defence capabilities, local company, Aerotree Defence and Services Sdn Bhd (Aerotree) unveiled the DJI Flycart 30, the country's first cargo drone, at the Langkawi International Maritime and Aerospace Exhibition 2025 (LIMA'25).
Aerotree Air Combat Maneuvering Instrumentation (ACMI) project director Mohd Aizat Mohd Aris said the drone is designed to carry a load of up to 30 kilogrammes, providing an efficient and competitive solution for logistics delivery.
'The idea to develop this cargo drone originated from Aerotree president and chief executive officer Datuk Halim Othman during the COVID-19 pandemic, when logistical challenges and movement restrictions affected all sectors,' he said.
'Following that, research and development were conducted with the expertise of local engineers, including former military personnel and flight school graduates, supported by technology from China to produce the DJI Flycart 30,' he told Bernama here today.
He added that the cargo drone is capable of medium-distance logistics deliveries up to 16 km, with a flight duration of approximately 30 minutes. It is also designed to withstand moderate weather conditions, featuring an IP55 rating for splash and dust resistance.
The drone is intended for delivering goods to locations such as ports, military operation sites, and hard-to-reach areas, thereby reducing reliance on human labour.
'We have also engaged in discussions with the army regarding the need to deliver supplies to personnel in forest areas, which is a more cost-effective solution compared to using helicopters. In addition, our target market includes commercial delivery service companies.
However, he noted that Aerotree is still awaiting full operational approval from the Civil Aviation Authority of Malaysia (CAAM), as the drone must comply with safety regulations, altitude limits, operating range, and frequency usage to ensure it does not interfere with commercial aviation systems.
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


Malaysian Reserve
42 minutes ago
- Malaysian Reserve
Bank credit costs seen rising on SME strain
CREDIT costs in the Malaysian banking sector are expected to edge higher as economic growth slows and risks mount within the small and medium enterprise (SME) segment. CIMB Securities Sdn Bhd, in its latest report on historical asset quality trends, is maintaining a 'Neutral' stance on the sector despite forecasting mild deterioration in credit metrics. 'We have reviewed our sector credit cost projections, taking into consideration the potential impact of slower growth on the SME segment and historical trends. Our assumptions indicate that sector credit costs may rise by 12 basis points (bps) on account of a possible change in probability of default assumption for the SME segment. 'However, as this is in line with our earlier assumed 15bps increase in credit costs, we are maintaining our forecasts and 'Neutral' rating,' it noted. The research house said that the SME portfolio remains under scrutiny. 'The initial segment that may face some risk is likely to be the SME segment, which currently accounts for 16.5% of total loans on average for the banks under our coverage,' it stated. 'Assuming probability of default (PD) is raised to 6% from 4.5% for the SME segment, while loss given default is maintained at 50%, this implies that the estimated credit loss (ECL) may need to be raised by 75bps for the SME segment in a slowing growth cycle. On overall basis, this translates to a 12bps increase in sector credit costs,' it explained. CIMB Securities noted that credit costs historically trend in tandem with macroeconomic cycles. 'During a normal economic cycle, credit costs usually range from 20bps to 30bps, while a good economic cycle typically leads to benign credit costs of 10bps-20bps. In a slower growth cycle, credit costs tend to climb higher than 30bps, towards the 40bps-50bps range.' The 2020 pandemic-driven recession provides a stark example. 'The most recent recession during the 2020 Covid-19 pandemic caused a significant jump in credit costs to 79bps in 2020, coinciding with a 5.5% year-on-year (YoY) decline in GDP and an 8.6% YoY drop in exports. Prior to that, during the 2008 recession, credit costs peaked at 70bps as GDP declined by 1.5% YoY and exports contracted by 10.9% YoY.' While direct trade-related loans remain low, secondary risks are a concern. 'Exports-related loans are insignificant, accounting for 1%-4.7% of total loans for banks under our coverage. We reiterate there will likely be a larger impact from secondary spillover effects on trade-related supply chain vendors and suppliers.' CIMB Securities is leaving its forecasts unchanged for now. 'We are maintaining our forecasts for now, as our latest estimate is based on broad assumptions while each bank's portfolio will have a different risk profile.' The firm retains its 'Buy' recommendations on Alliance Bank Malaysia Bhd, Public Bank Bhd and RHB Bank Bhd. 'We maintain our 'Neutral' sector rating, and retain our 'Buy' calls on Alliance Bank, Public Bank and RHB Bank, as dividend yields remain attractive at current levels,' it concluded. — TMR This article first appeared in The Malaysian Reserve weekly print edition

Barnama
an hour ago
- Barnama
Chorsu Bazaar: The Beating Heart Of Tashkent
BUSINESS From Siti Radziah Hamzah TASHKENT, June 23 (Bernama) -- 'Malaysia, Malaysia! Come here, I will give you a discount!' – such was the enthusiastic greeting echoing from nearly every tea, nuts and spice stall on the upper floor of Chorsu Bazaar, one of Tashkent's most iconic and historic markets. The unexpected familiarity left me amused as I turned to my photographer, Fathin Suhaira Abd Rahim, and remarked that Malaysians must have built quite the reputation for their spending habits not just at home, but abroad as well. In Uzbekistan, it seems, that reputation has reached legendary status. Local traders recognise and welcome Malaysians at first glance, reflecting the growing presence and warm perception of Malaysian tourists in this Central Asian nation. What began as a friendly sales pitch quickly revealed something more telling: in Uzbekistan, Malaysians aren't just recognised, they're genuinely welcomed. Many stallholders could instantly identify us as Malaysians even before we spoke, often greeting us with warm smiles and enthusiastic offers of discounts. This immediate recognition underscores how Malaysian tourists have become a visible and valued presence in countries far beyond Southeast Asia. Whether driven by word-of-mouth among vendors or the steady stream of Malaysian tour groups, the perception of Malaysians as friendly, polite, and generous customers has clearly taken root. It reflects the growing number of Malaysian travellers exploring new destinations like Uzbekistan, and the meaningful people-to-people connections forged through simple acts of trade and hospitality.


The Star
an hour ago
- The Star
Ringgit higher at opening amid ongoing geopolitical tensions
KUALA LUMPUR: The ringgit opened higher against the US dollar and a basket of major currencies on Monday despite a strong US Dollar Index (DXY) as ongoing geopolitical tensions, with the United States' (US) involvement in the Israel-Iran conflict, in focus, said an analyst. At 8 am, the local note rose to 4.2420/2655 against the greenback from Friday's close of 4.2505/2565. Bank Muamalat Malaysia Bhd chief economist Dr Mohd Afzanizam Abdul Rashid said there are fears of a wider conflagration in the region as the US announced "successful" airstrikes on three Iranian nuclear sites. "The focus is clearly on how it might impact crude oil prices and risk sentiment. "Brent Crude oil prices rallied by 2.49 per cent to US$78.93 per barrel, the highest since January 2025 with concerns over Iranian retaliation and (the possibility that it) might use the Straits of Hormuz choke point as leverage in the prevailing conflict," he told Bernama. Mohd Afzanizam also said the ringgit could depreciate against the US dollar due to the defensive mode among traders. He said there could be a risk-off mode in the currency market,as the US DXY has risen to 98.937 points, while precious commodities, such as spot gold, were up by 0.27 per cent to US$3,377.42 per ounce. At the opening, the ringgit traded higher against a basket of major currencies. It trended higher against the Japanese yen at 2.9023/9186 from 2.9245/9289 at Friday's close, rose versus the British pound to 5.7000/7316 from 5.7356/7437, and inched up against the euro to 4.8800/9070 from 4.9000/9069 previously. The local note also traded firmer against its ASEAN counterparts. It appreciated against the Singapore dollar to 3.2948/3133 from 3.3088/3140 at Friday's close, climbed to 12.9243/13.0042 from 12.9727/9969 versus the Thai baht, advanced vis-a-vis the Indonesian rupiah to 258.6/260.2 from 259.2/259.7 and gained against the Philippine peso to 7.42/7.46 from 7.43/7.45. - Bernama