Gadget of growth: Hajiji (centre, in dark brown jacket) visiting one of the exhibition booths after officiating the Sabah Drone Open Day 2023 at the Sabah International Convention Centre in Kota Kinabalu.
Hajiji: It can enhance returns, especially in agriculture and tourism
KOTA KINABALU: Industries and companies in Sabah involved in agriculture and tourism should integrate the use of drones in daily operations, says Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor.
The use of drones, he said, would allow for businesses to grow in line with current technological developments.
The technology, he said, had widespread use and was capable of solving several issues immediately, including the lack of manpower in the agricultural sector.
“We acknowledge that the integration of drone technology into Sabah’s economy has great returns for the progress and prosperity of our state.
“However, it requires collaborative efforts from all stakeholders – the government, industry players, researchers and the community itself,” he said when launching Sabah Drone Open Day 2023 here yesterday.
It was important for Sabah, said Hajiji, to compete and seize the opportunities offered by technology which would pave the way for diversity, increased productivity, job creation and sustainable development.
“Therefore, it is important that we prepare the workforce to empower the digital era through skill improvement initiatives,” he added.
Drones, Hajiji said, had become part of modern technology, with their applications growing rapidly across various industries – from agriculture to infrastructure, as well as from services and delivery to environmental monitoring.
He added that drones could also help in ensuring the preservation of ecosystems for future generations as well as protecting nature heritage reserves important for tourism and environmental conservation.
“It is a new field that needs to be pioneered and of course, we on the government side also want to facilitate the development and growth of this drone field.
“Although safety rules and drone regulations are important to follow to ensure the responsible and safe use of drones, it is equally important that these regulations should not hinder the potential application of drones in our economic sector,” said Hajiji.
