Riyadh - Sharikat Mubasher: King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST) and Aramco signed an IP license agreement to commercialize the Hybrid Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Crawler Technology (HUCT).

This innovation merges aerial and terrestrial robotic capabilities to support inspection, monitoring, and other advanced industrial applications, according to a recent statement by KAUST.

The agreement enables Aramco to develop and implement HUCT across its operations and beyond, reinforcing its emphasis on technology leadership and operational efficiency.

Commenting on this milestone, Ali Al Meshari, Aramco Senior Vice President of Technology Oversight and Coordination, said: “We are proud to collaborate with KAUST, a partnership that embodies our strategic commitment to harnessing academic expertise and scientific excellence to drive technological innovation. The HUCT is a groundbreaking example of this collaboration, enabling the detection and maintenance of asset integrity and reliability in our core business.”

He affirmed that the partnership underscores the shared vision of both entities for a safer and more sustainable future.

In turn, Ian Campbell, Senior Vice President of the KAUST National Transformation Institute (NTI), stated: “This agreement reflects KAUST’s commitment to delivering solutions that have meaningful national impact and demonstrates the success of our model in driving innovation to market.”

Moreover, the agreement underscores the KAUST and Aramco’s technology and innovation strategy to strengthen academic and in-Kingdom partnerships, scale up high-impact technologies, and support Saudi Arabia’s transformation into a knowledge-based economy.