Lodd Autonomous has successfully completed the first flight of Hili, the UAE's first hybrid vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) heavy-cargo aircraft designed, built, and tested in Abu Dhabi for the world.

The historic event, held at Lodd's flight test facility at Emirates Falcon Aviation in Al Ain, as part of Abu Dhabi Autonomous Week, represents a defining national milestone in the advancement of autonomous aviation and next-generation cargo logistics.

The successful first flight of Hili marks a major engineering and operational achievement for Lodd Autonomous, underscoring the UAE's growing capability to design and manufacture advanced aerospace systems.

Developed through an intensive and safety-driven program, Hili demonstrates the nation's ability to transform vision into reality with speed, precision, and uncompromising safety, achieving flight readiness in record time while meeting rigorous performance and quality standards.

With a payload capacity of 250 kilograms and a range of up to 700 kilometres, Hili combines hybrid-electric propulsion with a modular design to deliver safe, efficient, and sustainable cargo operations for both regional and international logistics networks.

Demonstrating the international confidence in the UAE's innovation ecosystem, Lodd Autonomous has established a strong foundation of global and national partnerships:

- Etihad Cargo (UAE): Earlier this month, on 3 November 2025, Lodd signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the national carrier's cargo division, making Etihad Cargo the first adopter of an aircraft designed and built in Abu Dhabi — a proud milestone for the UAE's aviation sector.

- EMX (UAE): On 10 November 2025, on the sidelines of the Abu Dhabi Autonomous Summit, Lodd signed a Collaboration Agreement with EMX, supported by the Abu Dhabi Investment Office (ADIO), to integrate drone logistics into next-generation smart supply chain operations.

- Skyports Drone Services (United Kingdom): During the first flight ceremony, Lodd also signed an agreement with Skyports Drone Services, a trusted global leader in drone operations. Running drone delivery operations for Royal Mail, the NHS and offshore energy leaders such as Equinor and RWE, Skyports sees great potential in Hili for expanding its heavy-lift, long range cargo drone capabilities.

- ST Engineering (Singapore): During the first flight ceremony, Lodd formalized an agreement with ST Engineering's Commercial Aerospace business, one of the world's largest aerospace companies, to bring Hili into key Asia Pacific markets. This is part of the overall strategic partnership between the two companies.

Speaking at the event, Rashid Al Manai, Chief Executive Officer of Lodd Autonomous, said: "The first flight of Hili marks a defining moment for Lodd and for Abu Dhabi's advanced aviation industry. This aircraft was designed, built, and flown in the UAE through an intensive, fast-paced, and safety-first program that reflects the strength of our engineering and national talent. Today, we are proud to see Hili take to the skies as a symbol of Abu Dhabi's capability to deliver innovation for the world."

Al Manai also extended his appreciation to the UAE's leadership for their continued support of innovation and advanced autonomous technologies.

"Their vision to develop a nationally enabling environment has allowed us to design, manufacture, and test Hili entirely in the UAE — for the world. This milestone demonstrates the UAE's capability to deliver homegrown technologies with global impact, reinforcing its position as a hub for advanced air mobility and next-generation logistics," he added.

With these achievements, Lodd Autonomous reinforces its role as a national champion in advanced air mobility — advancing the UAE's vision to be a global leader in autonomous systems, sustainable logistics, and future-ready aviation technologies.