By DayakDaily Team
MIRI, April 1: The Sarawak Ministry of Transport (MOTS) is exploring the establishment of pilot low altitude corridors in rural and semi-urban areas to facilitate phased testing of new technology, as part of efforts to grow the State’s Low Altitude Economy (LAE) sector.
The initiative positions Sarawak to leverage its vast geographical advantages and improve access to essential services in areas that rely heavily on conventional aircraft at STOLports, which are often constrained by weather conditions.
In a Sarawak Public Communication Unit (Ukas) news, Minister for Transport Dato Sri Lee Kim Shin emphasised that Sarawak has high potential to emerge as a leader in the development of LAE in Malaysia.
“This approach could strengthen government service delivery, particularly in rural communities.
“This situation places Sarawak in a strategic position to utilise low-altitude technology as a complement to the existing system,” he said when officiating the Aviation Safety Seminar – Advancing the Low Altitude Economy: Safe, Smart and Sustainable Growth 2026 on Tuesday (March 31).
He added that low-altitude applications could play a key role in critical operations, such as delivering medicines to rural clinics, monitoring crops, inspecting infrastructure like bridges and power lines, and supporting environmental monitoring and emergency response in flood- and landslide-prone areas.
“Low-altitude airspace is now a new economic domain globally. Sarawak cannot be a mere observer; we need to be active participants,” he added.
In supporting this development, MOTS will work closely with the Civil Aviation Authority of Malaysia (CAAM) to ensure safety compliance through regulatory frameworks, pilot projects, public awareness campaigns, and enforcement measures.
The minister also highlighted the importance of developing a highly skilled workforce to sustain LAE growth, citing collaborations with academic and research institutions such as Curtin University Malaysia, Swinburne University, i-CATS, and CENTEXS.
“These institutions are vital in producing drone pilots, engineers, airspace planners, and cybersecurity professionals,” he said.
With integrated governance, industry-academia support, and careful planning, Lee expressed confidence that Sarawak could become the first State in Malaysia to comprehensively implement LAE development.
He also thanked CAAM and Curtin University Malaysia for organising the seminar, which he described as an important platform for strengthening research collaboration and innovation in aviation technology.
Also present at the seminar were Deputy Minister of Transport Datuk Dr Jerip Susil, MOTS permanent secretary Datu Wong Hee Sieng, CAAM chief executive officer Dato Captain Norazman Mahmud, and Curtin University Malaysia Pro Vice-Chancellor, president and chief executive Dr Vincent Lee Chieng Chen. — DayakDaily
