MERAQUE Group (Meraque), a Malaysian company that delivers ]solutions harnessing the power of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles
(UAVs) and robotic technologies bagged the Global Youth award at the Global Youth Innovation & Entrepreneurship Competition in Shandong, China today.
Organised by the Foreign Affairs Office of Shandong, the competition was held from July 7 to 8, 2023 in conjunction with the Global Youth Conference 2023.
Meraque was the only company representing Malaysia and went head-to-head with representatives from various countries.
The company's chief executive officer, Md Razalee Ismail, first pitched their solutions to a panel of judges on 7th June and emerged as the winner of the Asean chapter. The solutions that
were pitched included Meraque's UAVs and Autonomous Ground Vehicles (AGVs) products and solutions.
Era of robotic agro
Robotic Agro in Complex Environment (Race) was one of the AGVs highlighted. The first-ever Malaysian AGV was developed with a high-power computing module in the control system to reduce reliance on manpower and improve fertiliser spraying consistency in oil palm plantation fields as demanded by clients in the industry.
As a result of its outstanding performance in Shandong, Meraque was proposed with a partnership offer that will see the establishment of Meraque's manufacturing facility in the
Shandong province.
The manufacturing facility will be dedicated to producing selected Meraque technological products including UAVs and AGVs. These products will not only cater to the Chinese market but will also serve global markets as well.
Meraque is currently finalising the terms of the partnership.
Becoming global player
Md Razalee said that the award solidifies their commitment to support Malaysia's ambitions to become a major player in the global drone industry and a potential drone hub in Asean.
"We are truly honoured to be selected to receive such a prestigious award and to put Malaysia on the map. Meraque is on the brink of a high-potential growth industry and we are immensely excited about this opportunity to further expand our product offerings to the great China market," he said.
"We are elated to be partnering with a renowned company in China whose vast understanding in their field will give us a prime
advantage here," he added.
Last year, Meraque laid out plans to strengthen its technological capabilities to amplify its global expansion efforts.
The company currently holds the largest market share for drone spraying services in Malaysia, and aims to generate 1,000 job opportunities across the globe and envisions creating an
economic impact of RM90 million over the next 5 years through local and export revenues.
It was named a Top 20 best drone technology service provider in the world in 2021 by Drone Industry Insights, a Market Research consultant based in Germany.
The drone industry has captured a steadily rising audience with the global drone market forecasted to achieve US$41.3 billion in 2026 according to the Drone Market Report 2021-2026.
