UMPSA Holdings Sdn. Bhd. (UMPSAH), the commercial subsidiary of Universiti Malaysia Pahang Al-Sultan Abdullah (UMPSA), has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Albatross Tech Pt. Co. Ltd., China, to establish Pahang’s first low-altitude airspace technology incubator and drone center.

UMPSAH said in a statement on Tuesday that this center will drive research, testing, technology transfer and joint innovation in drone systems, autonomous vehicles, robotics and Agri-tech solutions at UMPSA’s 180-acre Agriculture Twin Park in Luit, Maran.

A key objective of the partnership is to develop Malaysian-made drones, strengthening local high-tech manufacturing, reducing dependence on imports and positioning Malaysia as an emerging global player in the drone industry.

The center will support multiple sectors including smart agriculture, infrastructure inspection, logistics, asset management and commercial drone services.

“This initiative is an investment in local talent and future-ready Malaysian-made drone solutions,

“It strengthens Malaysia’s position in the global drone ecosystem while accelerating innovation across multiple industries,” said Ts. Mohd Fadzil Mohd Idris, Managing Director and Group Chief Executive Officer of UMPSAH.

UMPSAH has also formalized with Chulia Middle East Technical Services LLC, a Malaysian-founded international facilities management (FM) company, through a MoU signed on November 18, 2025 in Dubai.

The partnership encompasses smart facilities management, Building Information Modelling (BIM), internet of things (IoT)-enabled building solutions, project management, cleaning services and specialized technical solutions including chilled-water pipe corrosion removal for large heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems.

“This MoU reflects a shared commitment to innovation, knowledge exchange and sustainable value creation for Malaysia, the UAE and beyond,” said Prof. Dr. Yatimah Alias, Vice-Chancellor of UMPSA.

Mohd Fadzil added that through this partnership, UMPSA’s research and innovation ecosystem is now connected to international industry.

“Together with Chulia, we aim to commercialize home-grown technologies and turn academic innovations into real-world solutions,” he added.

Founded in 1995, Chulia Middle East, a subsidiary of Chulia Facilities Management Sdn.Bhd. (Malaysia), manages over 500 FM contracts, employs more than 700 skilled personnel and has delivered over 30 major projects across the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

The collaboration positions UMPSAH to provide transformative solutions for both public and private sectors across Malaysia and the Middle East.

Together, these two international collaborations demonstrate UMPSAH’s ability to translate university research and innovation into commercially viable solutions, expanding Malaysia’s footprint in smart facilities, IoT, aerospace and autonomous systems, said the statement.

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