UAE oil sites being watched over by 'Israeli drones' after normalisation deal

UAE energy sites are being watched over by Israeli-made drones, according to media reports Wednesday.

Drones manufactured by Israeli firm Percepto have been deployed to help with security and discover operational faults, The Jerusalem Post reported.

The sites being monitored include solar energy plants and oilfields.

Among the drones' capacities are night vision and the ability to operate without a human operator.

They also employ artificial intelligence to understand what they are seeing, can be left in constant use, and even make their way back to charging stations when low on battery.

The monitoring of sensitive energy sites in the Gulf state by drones manufactured in the UAE is a sign of the close relationship between the two countries following last September's normalisation deal.

Given the UAE's climate, another critical feature of the drones is their ability to function in very high temperatures.

Energy firms in other countries are also reportedly using these devices.

The news that Israeli drones are being deployed in the UAE comes at a time of deepening relations.

Last year, during former US President Donald Trump's administration, the UAE concluded a deal making it the first Arab country to normalise ties with Israel since 1994, when Jordan did likewise.

Since then, the UAE has pushed on, officially launching its Tel Aviv embassy in last month.