Sharjah: A team of students from the American University of Sharjah (AUS) has secured second place at Dell Technologies’ 2024-2025 Envision the Future competition for developing Shaheen, a drone-powered system designed to locate missing persons in the desert and alert rescuers in real time. The regional contest drew 259 projects from 14 countries across the Middle East, Turkey, and Africa.

According to Emirates News Agency, named after the falcon admired in the UAE for its speed and precision, Shaheen can scan wide desert areas with high accuracy, offering rescuers valuable time in emergencies. The project was developed by computer engineering students Yousef Irshaid, Malik Hader, and Adham Elmosalamy, and computer science student Ahmad Alsaleh, under the supervision of Dr. Mohamed Alhajri.

Dr. Alhajri mentioned that the system ‘reflects the best of what our students can achieve when they combine innovation with purpose,’ adding that it shows how education and creativity can serve society and support the UAE’s vision of placing innovation and technology at the core of growth.