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TL;DR
- Sky Biz Limited is set to manufacture unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) for export, marking Bangladesh’s first foray into commercial drone production.
- The company plans to invest approximately $46 million to establish a factory in the BEPZA Economic Zone in Mirsarai, Chattogram, with production starting in early 2025.
- The facility will produce ten drone models for various applications, including firefighting, cinematography, mapping, and agriculture, aiming for an annual export value of $169 million.
- Jaseem Ahmed, managing director of Sky Biz, initiated the project after collaborating with local university students and securing research and development support.
For the first time, Bangladesh is set to manufacture and export commercial drones, thanks to an initiative by Sky Biz Limited. The company plans to establish a drone manufacturing facility in the Bepza Economic Zone in Chittagong’s Mirsrai, investing approximately $4.6 million (about 5.5 billion taka) to set up the factory on a two-acre site. This venture marks a significant step for Bangladesh in the global unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) market, with production expected to begin in January.
Sky Biz Limited, led by managing director Jaseem Ahmed, will produce ten models of UAVs, starting with high-performance rotary wing drones for firefighting and fixed-wing drones for cinematography, mapping, and surveillance. The company aims to export drones worth $169 million annually once fully operational. These drones are designed primarily for civilian applications such as pesticide spraying, firefighting, product delivery, and disaster relief operations.
The idea for this venture originated from a group of university students who successfully built drones as part of their academic work. Despite initial challenges due to limited investment and parts availability, Jaseem Ahmed provided the necessary research and development support, including overseas training for engineers. This collaboration led to the founding of Sky Biz Limited in June last year.
Sky Biz’s parent company is Sunamco Industries, also founded by Jaseem Ahmed, who has extensive experience in the textile and garment manufacturing sectors within Bangladesh’s export processing zones. His ventures include joint investments with international partners in Global Levels Bangladesh Limited and Jinque Global Textile Bangladesh Limited. With this new focus on UAV technology, Sky Biz represents a significant advancement for Bangladesh’s export capabilities and technological innovation.
