Mohammed briefed on Dubai's 'Flying Navigator'

His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, has been briefed on the Dubai Civil Defence's ‘Flying Navigator’ initiative at the Dubai Airshow 2015. Major General and expert Rashid Thani Al Matrooshi, Director General of the Dubai Civil Defence, demonstrated the characteristics of the ‘Flying Navigator’ and the services that the device can provide to the civil defence teams and the public. He also reviewed the characteristics of design and manufacturing and how the technical teams of civil defence accomplished it in accordance with the scientific standards that ensured quality, safety and efficiency. Sheikh Mohammed was accompanied by Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, Sheikh Maktoum bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Deputy Ruler of Dubai and a number of guests at the Airshow. Tours UAE Space Agency Stand Sheikh Mohammed at the Dubai Air Show yesterday. (Wam) Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum toured the UAE Space Agency Stand at the Dubai Air Show. Sheikh Mohammed was welcomed by Dr. Khalifa Al Rumaithi, Chairman of the UAE Space Agency, and Dr. Mohamed Nasser Al Ahbabi, Director General of the agency. Sheikh Mohammed was presented with an overview of the agency's future plans and current initiatives, within the context of its mandate to regulate and develop the space sector in the UAE. Sheikh Mohammed was also part of a briefing on the agency's participation at the Dubai Air Show, and the opportunity the show presents to introduce the agency to the global community to enable an exchange of experience and knowledge with the world leaders in this domain. The agency's higher officials also presented in Sheikh Mohammed’s presence, the efforts being undertaken to spread awareness of the role, activities, and most prominent achievements of the agency at a global level. This was done especially in the context of the ground breaking initiatives it is launching, such as ‘Hope Probe,’ the agency's contribution to space science. Sheikh Mohammed also examined the first issue of 'Madarat', the agency's magazine. The magazine covers the latest developments in space science, as well as activities pertaining to the space sector in the UAE. It also features the views and opinions of the sector's pioneers in the UAE and a collection of scientific facts and imagery. Sheikh Mohammed also witnessed the launching of Space Rocket Competition launched by the agency for UAE primary and secondary school students, with the aim to spread awareness about the agency's mandate, and generate students' interest in the space sector. The competition, organised in collaboration with Abu Dhabi Education Council, and the Knowledge and Human Development Authority (KHDA) in Dubai, seeks to generate interest among the students by engaging them in awareness activities that focus on the space sector. Students will be asked to colour a space shuttle on a background of their choosing, and submit their work to a jury, which will select the top 44 designs from around 250 schools. Winning schools will be awarded a 2x2 metre model of the space shuttle, for students to apply their winning design on. Final designs will be displayed at a special exhibition that will be held alongside the celebrations of the UAE's 44th national day, as well as in other locations around the country. Sheikh Mohammed also examined a spherical interactive model showing the planets of the solar system. The model allows navigation among planets, and enables the exploring of their landscape via touch technology.