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UAE’s LODD Begins Civil Certification for Hili Autonomous Cargo Aircraft

The move advances Hili from flight testing into the formal certification process with the UAE's aviation regulator.
Hili, LODD Autonomous's hybrid-powered VTOL cargo aircraft, displayed outside a hangar in Abu Dhabi ahead of its civil aviation certification programme with the UAE's General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA).
July 15, 2026 01:48 PM IST | Written by Neelam Sharma | Edited by Pratima O Pareek

Abu Dhabi-based LODD Autonomous has entered the formal civil aviation certification programme for its Hili hybrid-powered autonomous cargo aircraft with the UAE’s General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA). This makes Hili the first autonomous cargo aircraft in the Arab world to reach this stage after being designed, engineered and developed in the UAE.

The aircraft, designed and developed in Abu Dhabi, is a hybrid-powered vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) cargo aircraft capable of transporting payloads of up to 250 kg over distances of up to 700 km.

The certification process will involve aircraft design approvals, airworthiness compliance checks, ground and flight testing, operational evaluations and safety assessments.

The project is being conducted under the supervision of the Smart and Autonomous Systems Council, with the GCAA serving as the certifying authority throughout the process.

It is supported by several key stakeholders across Abu Dhabi’s aviation ecosystem, including the Integrated Transport Centre (Abu Dhabi Mobility) and the Abu Dhabi Investment Office (ADIO) through the Smart and Autonomous Vehicles Industry (SAVI) Cluster.

Rashid Al Manai, CEO of LODD, said, “Entering formal certification demonstrates the maturity of the Hili programme and moves Hili from development into the pathway towards commercial operations.” He added, “It brings us one step closer to delivering a UAE-developed supervised autonomous cargo aircraft system capable of transforming how critical goods are moved across the UAE, the region and globally.”

Once certified, Hili is expected to support a range of commercial applications, including middle-mile logistics, healthcare supply chains, offshore operations, humanitarian response and regional cargo transportation.

Also Read: ADNOC Deploys AI Inspection Robot as Physical AI Expands Into Oil and Gas Industry

Authors

  • Neelam Sharma, reporter at AI FrontPage

    Neelam Sharma is a passionate storyteller, and journalist with over a decade of experience across leading Indian media houses.
    Known for her calm presence on screen and powerful storytelling off it, Neelam brings a rare blend of credibility, creativity, and empathy to journalism. Her strength lies in ground reporting and research-driven narratives that connect with the heart of the audience. Whether covering social issues, human-interest features, or breaking news, she combines factual depth with a human touch—making every story not just informative.

    LinkedIn
  • Pratima Pareek, Editor and Co-founder of AI FrontPage

    Pratima O Pareek is an Editor and Co-Founder of AI FrontPage. A gold medalist in Mass Communication and Journalism, she's worked across national and international newsrooms, bringing sharp editorial instincts and a commitment to clarity. She believes in cutting through the noise to deliver stories that actually matter.
    Off the clock, she watches offbeat cinema, follows tennis, and explores new places like a traveler, not a tourist.

    LinkedIn

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