MHS Aviation Bhd, a subsidiary of Boustead Holdings Bhd, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Vertiport Malaysia Sdn Bhd, the commercial arm of Universiti Malaysia Perlis (UniMAP), to strengthen Malaysia’s unmanned aviation capabilities.
Datuk Shaiful Hazizy Zainol Abidin and Mohd Fakhrul Arifin Adinan at the MOU signing ceremony between Vertiport Malaysia and MHS Aviation Berhad in Perlis.
In a statement, MHS Aviation said the collaboration supports the Airspace Sandbox initiative announced under Budget 2026, which serves as a national platform for testing and developing low-altitude flight technologies, including Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) and autonomous aviation solutions.
The partnership aims to enhance Malaysia’s UAS ecosystem across both civil and defence applications by combining academic expertise with industry capabilities and operational experience. Under the MOU, both parties will collaborate on training, research, and innovation in unmanned aviation.
Key focus areas include operational deployment of UAS, particularly Beyond Visual Line of Sight (BVLOS) capabilities, as well as maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) services, and training and certification programmes covering operations, management, and maintenance. The collaboration will also involve joint efforts to promote and develop UAS-related services and capabilities.
The agreement also sets the stage for further due diligence, including obtaining approvals from the Civil Aviation Authority of Malaysia (CAAM) and developing operational frameworks such as standard operating procedures and operations manuals.
MHS Aviation CEO Mohd Fakhrul Arifin Adinan said the partnership reflects the company’s commitment to building next-generation aviation capabilities in Malaysia, adding that the collaboration with UniMAP will support scalable and future-ready unmanned solutions aligned with national priorities.
Boustead Holdings group managing director Ahmad Sabirin Arshad said the initiative highlights the group’s strategic role in strengthening Malaysia’s defence and aerospace ecosystem, particularly in emerging technologies such as unmanned systems.
Meanwhile, UniMAP vice-chancellor Zaliman Sauli said the collaboration will help position Malaysia as a regional leader in aviation and drone technology, while supporting the development of high-skilled talent in aeronautics and unmanned systems.
