Many nations are now embracing drones as the next great technological advancement for everyday applications. For example, over the past year the Swiss Post has been using drones to quickly deliver laboratory specimens and samples to participating clinics and hospitals. Inspired by this technological foresight, Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Minister Gobind Singh Deo is encouraging his country to join the race, literally!

Along with the support of Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, Minister Deo was on hand at the 2019 Parcel Drone Competition held at the Putrajaya Water Sports Complex. The competition was co-hosted by the Communications and Multimedia Commission Multimedia (MCMC) and Pos Malaysia Bhd (Pos Malaysia). The Parcel Competition was a set up to showcase all the amazing possibilities drones could offer the Malaysian people. The events took place over the course of two days.

One of the highlights of the competition was a drone race launched over Putrajaya Lake. Drones had to race their drones for 2 kilometers back and forth over the lake while carrying a 2 kilogram load. Each participant had 2 chances to achieve the fastest time. An event that proved to be both exhilarating, educational, and motivational.

The Multimedia Minister realizes that drones can have a huge impact when it comes to being able to carry out delivery tasks. He envisions his country utilizing drones to transport medical supplies to fertilizers. He realizes just how beneficial this can be for some of the country’s more remote, hard to reach regions. He also hopes to see drones assisting in everyday parcel deliveries.

He was quick to point out that everything conducted during the Parcel Drone Competition was in line with the ministry’s strategic plans to promote a more advanced digital economy and higher technology to benefit it’s people, bring it up to par with further developed nations. Their hopes for the competition was to not only find existing talented droners to undertake these goals, but encourage a new generation of droners.

It was with great pride that Syarikat System Consultancy Services Sdn Bhd accepted the grand prize of RM25,000as the champions of the two day event. But this competition was about far more than winning a prize. It was about embracing modern technologies. It was about advancing Malaysia’s ability to better the lives of it’s citizens.