FALCON Prototypes from Khalifa University Take Top Honors at UAE GCAA Bader Initiative
Khalifa University’s Future Aviation Leadership Center and Outreach Network (FALCON) program won two awards at the Bader Initiative – “Innovate in the Aviation Sector,” part of the UAE General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) Promising Futures Career Fair held at the Etihad Museum in Dubai. The recognition highlights FALCON’s groundbreaking contributions to the air transportation industry and Advanced Air Mobility (AAM).
The FALCON Program’s H-EPIC (Hybrid-Electric Prototype Integration Concept) drone and ANN-2 subscale prototype each received the ‘Best Innovative Real-World Project’ awards. H-EPIC, a hybrid-electric drone combining Vertical Take-Off and Landing (VTOL) and fixed-wing technologies, addresses sustainability challenges by reducing emissions and noise while improving operational efficiency. It also serves as a platform for AI-based Mission Management Systems and hybrid-electric propulsion technologies essential for Urban Air Mobility.
The ANN-2, developed with Manta International, emphasizes scalability and adaptability for piloted, semi-autonomous, and fully autonomous missions. It features advanced Guidance, Navigation, and Control systems, Sense-and-Avoid, and Human-Machine Interfaces.
The Bader Initiative showcases real-world aviation innovations, inspiring students and professionals to shape the sector’s future. Professor Roberto Sabatini stated that these awards reflect the team’s technological excellence and alignment with national and global sustainability goals, supporting the UAE’s vision for net-zero aviation and intelligent mobility.
