Unmanned aerial vehicles are n't generally thought of as technology that improves lives ; they 're more readily associated with spying or attacking things . However a competition in the United Arab Emirates is trying to change all that . Last month , the government launched the Drones for Good Award , a two-part competition inviting local and international engineers alike to submit proposals for UAVs aimed at improving government services locally and bettering humanity worldwide . While the UAE has thrown itself into the manufacturing of military drones ( at last year 's Dubai Airshow , Abu Dhabi-based Adcom Systems had the largest selection of UAVs ) , the government is also hoping to lead the way in the implementation of machines meant for civilian use . `` Drones get a lot of bad publicity related to surveillance and military operations , '' admits Saif Al Aleeli , the project manager . `` But at the end of the day , they 're only a tool of technology . Our message is that we can use it for the good of people all over the world . We 've already seen a lot of potential for humanitarian uses . '' The first phase of the competition , which comes with a $ 270,000 cash award , invites UAE residents to submit ideas that can be employed by the country 's various government services ( Al Aleeli envisions drones monitoring traffic and being the first responder at emergency scenes within the next five years ) . The competition is an extension of the UAE 's ambition of becoming the first government to use UAVs to deliver government services . In February , Dubai announced it started testing drones to make lightweight deliveries -- namely official documents , like IDs and driver 's licenses , and medication -- and would employ fingerprint technology to confirm the identities of recipients . The government also envisions drones acting as the first responder at accident scenes . The announcement was accompanied by the unveiling of a battery-operated drone model developed by Emirati engineers . `` I think it is a new stage of development , not only for the UAE , but for the world , '' the UAE 's minister of cabinet affairs , Mohammed Al Gergawi , told CNNMoney earlier this year . `` Either you embrace this technology , or you resist it . If you resist it , then the gap between you and your competitor would n't be a year or two , it 's going to be 500 years , '' he continued . The competition also has an international component , with higher stakes , and a heftier award of $ 1m . International submissions are n't limited to government services . They just need to make the world a better place . `` Innovation does n't have an address . It comes from different geographical areas , from R & D centers and from the poor guy in Africa trying to provide a service or feed a certain need with technology . We want to give a chance to everyone in this world to be part of this innovation exercise , '' says Al Aleeli .
The UAE won the Drones for Good Award last year . They 're sharing ideas on how unmanned aerial vehicles can help the environment . Dubai is hoping to use drones for its services .