Connect with us

News

Meet Wabel, UAE’s robo-fireman

Published

on

Spread the love

FFBOTS, the Jebel Ali Industrial Area-based Emirati firm, has launched the first locally-made firefighting robot of its kind in the Middle East, with world-class technical specifications and operational capabilities.

Called Wabel, which means rain, the robot provides a qualitative addition to firefighting departments and their efforts to reach critical but difficult areas or when it comes to dangerous physically-demanding tasks that may compromise their safety.

The development comes less than two weeks after a Emirati fighter died in a post-fire tragic incident in Al Aweer, Dubai. Sgt Omar Khalifa Al Ketbi, 29, from Dubai Civil Defence, lost his life in the line of duty when a slab fell on him during cooling down operations after a fire broke out at the Al Kabayel Discount Centre.

In 2016, Jasim Al Beloushi died while responding to a situation at the Dubai International Airport following the emergency landing of Emirates Airline flight EK521. Al Beloushi and his colleagues saved all passengers but had to pay the ultimate sacrifice.

“Since its inception, the company has sought to locally manufacture, design and assemble robotics technologies, with a focus on attracting local and international competencies and expertise, inspired by its vision and the passion of the founding-team,” said Mohammed Islam, a robotics expert and CEO of FFBOTS.

“The start has been made from the UAE with a joint Emirati-Saudi investment. We intend to go global, while leveraging artificial intelligence to a maximum … this is especially the case in one of the fastest-growing economies in the world, where giant projects and factories, free zones, warehouses, tall residential towers and other sensitive areas are spread,” he added.

Mohammed Islam indicated that the robot complements rather than annuls the role of civil defence, by providing a qualitative addition to its efforts in fighting fires and preserving lives and property, especially when fires involve high-risk situations, such as proximity to oil and gas reservoirs and highly flammable materials that cannot be approached.

Technical Specifications

  • Wabel has multiple high-calibre features. Pending the arrival of civil defence personnel, it helps controllers, especially in critical places, to immediately use it remotely and start firefighting operations, benefitting from a powerful flow rate of 8,000 LPM, a range of 100 meters, and a height of 50 meters.
  • The robot is controlled wirelessly by a control station with a response range of up to 1,000 meters.
  • It is equipped with 4-hose-inlets and a GPS build routing and maps for robot location and facilitations of navigation.
  • The robot uses foam and water with a flow rate of 8,000 LPM. It is equipped with six smart cameras covering four directions, making it the firefighter’s eye from the heart of the event.
  • The robot is also equipped with front-end water sprinklers to cool the surface in front of the robot and vertical water sprinklers to create a water umbrella to cool the robot from above.
  • Wabel can climb stairs up to 30 degrees, and weights about a ton. It is provided with strong front bumpers.
  • The robot is also equipped with a dedicated camera for extinguisher target direction and a back camera to facilitate movement, in addition to an inbound audio channel to enable the controller to hear sounds around the robot;
  • It has 15 temperature-sensing points. The robot’s powerful headlights enable control officers to see clearly during heavy smoke. An audible siren helps locate the robot, while also alerting others in smoky or low-visibility areas and warning residents of a fire.

Crime

Don’t fall for it: Dubai Police warn against fake work-from-home job offers

Published

on

Spread the love

Looking for a side hustle? Be careful.

Dubai Police have warned residents not to fall for fake part-time job offers circulating on social media and messaging apps after uncovering a scam that tricked a young man into helping criminals move stolen money.

In a social media post, Dubai Police shared how the scam typically unfolds. The victim responded to an online advert promoting a work-from-home job with flexible hours and quick earnings. After being told he had been accepted, he was instructed to open a new bank account or use his existing one to receive and process what were described as customer payments.

Money was then deposited into his account, and he was instructed to transfer it to other bank accounts in exchange for a commission.

The scammers claimed he was working for an overseas financial services company, but investigators later discovered the transfers were linked to a criminal network.

The victim told police he believed the job was genuine and had no idea he was helping fraudsters.

How the scam works

Police said these scams usually begin with online job ads offering fast cash for simple tasks.

Victims may then be asked to:

  • Use their bank account to receive and transfer money.
  • Pay registration or activation fees.
  • Share personal or banking details.
  • Complete financial transactions for a commission.

Authorities warned that scammers often use unsuspecting people’s bank accounts to move illegally obtained funds, which could leave the account holder facing serious legal consequences.

How to stay safe

Dubai Police urged job seekers to:

  • Verify employers before accepting any job offer.
  • Never share bank details with unknown individuals or companies.
  • Avoid jobs that ask you to transfer money on behalf of others.
  • Ignore employers requesting upfront payments or registration fees.

Anyone who receives a suspicious job offer is encouraged to report it through Dubai Police’s eCrime platform or by calling 901 for non-emergency assistance.

Continue Reading

News

Dubai residents in Al Satwa, Al Quoz and Mirdif can now book Bus-On-Demand rides

Published

on

Spread the love

Getting around Dubai without a car just became a little easier.

Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) has expanded its Bus-On-Demand service to Al Satwa, Al Quoz and Mirdif, taking the total number of neighbourhoods covered across the city to 20.

The app-based service is designed to make short trips quicker and more convenient by connecting residential communities with nearby Metro stations and public transport hubs.

The expansion comes as more residents continue to use the service. During the first six months of 2026, Bus-On-Demand carried more than 527,000 passengers, a 25.1 per cent increase compared to the same period last year.

June was the busiest month so far, with 105,990 passengers using the service.

To meet growing demand, the RTA has increased the fleet to 55 buses while expanding the service area by 54 per cent.

How to book

Booking a ride is simple. Download the Dubai Bus-On-Demand app, create an account and choose your pick-up and drop-off locations.

Passengers can pay using credit cards, debit cards or nol cards directly through the app.

Areas covered

The service is now available in:

  • Al Barsha
  • Al Nahda
  • Dubai Silicon Oasis
  • Dubai Academic City
  • Al Rigga
  • Port Saeed
  • Business Bay
  • Downtown Dubai
  • Oud Metha
  • Al Karama
  • Barsha Heights
  • Al Mankhool
  • DIFC
  • Al Warqaa
  • Dubai Investment Park
  • Jumeirah Village Circle (JVC)
  • Al Qusais
  • Al Satwa
  • Al Quoz
  • Mirdif

The RTA says it will continue expanding the service as part of Dubai’s plan to make public transport smarter, more convenient and more sustainable.

Continue Reading

News

Rain hits parts of UAE as NCM warns of more showers

Published

on

Spread the love

Rain continued to sweep across parts of the UAE on Wednesday, with showers reported in Bada Zayed in Abu Dhabi’s Al Dhafra region in the afternoon and early evening in Siji, Fujairah, as unstable weather conditions persisted.

The rainfall comes as convective clouds continue to develop across several parts of the country, creating the potential for more showers through the evening.

The National Centre of Meteorology (NCM) said unstable weather is expected until 10pm, with convective clouds likely to bring rainfall of varying intensity, strong winds and reduced visibility in some areas.

Residents in affected areas are advised to stay updated with the latest weather alerts and drive carefully, as sudden rain and blowing dust could impact road conditions.

Weather maps show the heaviest cloud cover over large parts of Al Dhafra, with additional cloud formations developing over parts of Al Ain and the Ras Al Khaimah-Fujairah border.

Videos shared on social media showed rain falling in the UAE on Wednesday afternoon, with local weather trackers reporting good rainfall across the area.

The NCM has advised residents in affected areas to stay updated with the latest weather alerts, as convective clouds can develop quickly and may bring sudden showers, gusty winds and blowing dust.

Forecasters continue to monitor the situation and are expected to issue further updates if weather conditions change.

Continue Reading

Popular

© Copyright 2025 HEADLINE. All rights reserved

https://headline.ae/