Overview
- Dnata publicly demonstrated an autonomous wheelchair at Dubai International’s Concourse D on Monday, October 19, confirming active trials that move passengers from check-in toward boarding gates.
- The chair uses four cameras and a LiDAR sensor to detect obstacles, can be sent to a selected destination from a tablet, reroute around blockages, and is supervised by a back-office team that can remotely take control while manual joystick use is limited to trained staff.
- Emirates showed complementary accessibility concepts at the expo, including smart-glass prototypes, audio-led cabin familiarisation and an accessible lounge suite, and highlighted large-scale staff training and travel-rehearsal programmes certified for autism support.
- Organisers are collecting user feedback through on-site testing and QR surveys to refine designs and safety procedures, and Dubai Airports is discussing possible expansion of the wheelchair trial to Terminal 3 while the Dubai Health Authority promotes its Sanadhum accessibility initiative.
- The projects remain in prototype and pilot stages with no firm rollout dates, a context shaped by WHO disability estimates, regional demand and market forecasts that point to growing need for assistive travel technology.