KAUST and Aramco ink IP licence agreement for inspection tech

THUWAL, October 15, 2025 – King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST) and Saudi Aramco have signed an intellectual property licence agreement for Hybrid Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Crawler Technology (HUCT) in Saudi Arabia, KAUST announced on Monday.

The technology, which was jointly developed by researchers at KAUST and Aramco, merges aerial and terrestrial robotic capabilities for industrial inspection and monitoring applications. Through the agreement, Aramco will be able to further develop and deploy the HUCT across its operations.

“We are proud to collaborate with KAUST. The HUCT is a groundbreaking example of this collaboration, enabling the detection and maintenance of asset integrity and reliability in our core business,” said Aramco senior vice-president of technology oversight and co-ordination Ali A. Al Meshari.

“This agreement reflects KAUST’s commitment to delivering solutions that have meaningful national impact,” added Ian Campbell, senior vice-president of KAUST’s National Transformation Institute.

KAUST is a Saudi Arabian research university focused on commercialising innovation in robotics, AI and sustainability to advance Saudi Arabia’s research, development and innovation ecosystem. The university’s National Transformation Institute leads initiatives aligned with Vision 2030.

Photo courtesy of KAUST

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