By 2025, the Drone and Robotics Zone Iskandar (DRZ Iskandar) in Medini, Iskandar Puteri, Johor is planning to bring in RM315 million worth of investments and create 1000 employment opportunities.
According to Johor Menteri Besar, Datuk Ir. Haji Hasni Mohammad, the establishment of Drone Test Sites (DTS) in the DRZ, which spans more than 687.96 hectares, making it the largest in Southeast Asia, will help boost the local economy, benefiting nearby communities and enterprises.
He added that, in addition to attracting domestic and foreign investment, the DRZ hopes to recruit 70 drone and robotics firms and create 1000 jobs in the drone and robotics industry in Johor by 2025.
“I am delighted to see how the Iskandar Investment Bhd’s (IIB) team is moving towards realising this aspiration with the opening of the DTS,” he said in a speech during the official opening of the DTS here.
Datuk Khairil Anwar Ahmad, the IIB’s Chief Executive Officer, was also present.
According to Hasni, IIB has invested close to RM4 million on the construction of DRZ Iskandar so far, and the state government has also set aside a significant budget for the drone and robotics ecosystem’s development.
DRZ Iskandar’s goal, according to Khairil, is to develop a drone and robotics ecosystem in Iskandar Malaysia, which will serve as a growth engine, technology leader, and talent hub for Malaysia and the Asia-Pacific region (APAC).
“The DTS forms the main component of DRZ Iskandar, in order to pilot new technology solutions and to test these solutions.
“It will expedite the testing of locally produced drone-powered solutions while also providing a safe and realistic environment for innovators to test, operate, and attempt innovative ways for unmanned aircraft to safely integrate into our airspace,” he said.
The DTS, according to Khairil Anwar, is also a critical component in advancing Johor’s digital economy goal.
