By: Ryan Martin Obed
A drone is an unmanned arieal vehicles (UAVs) that is remotely controlled or fly autonomously using software-controlled flight. It is embedded with systems, which work in conjunction with onboard sensors and a global positioning system.
Drones have become a major technological tool impacting the globe, Africa inclusive. Visionary tech-experts in Africa taking advantage of UAVs services. Overall, drones are classified based on their functions such as:
– Medical
– Security
– E-commerce
– Media
Medical Drones
In 2016, Rwanda became the first country in the world to launch and operate a national medical drone deliveries. The government of Rwanda in 2016 signed a contract with a US-based company, Zipline, to streamline blood deliveries from hubs to health centers. Currently, the country has two distribution centers delivering up to 500 blood products a day to its rural areas.
Similarly, in April of 2019, the government of Ghana in partnership with Zipline launched the Ghana Drone Delivery Service to deliver medical supplies within designated areas across the country using drones. This service became the largest medical drone delivery across in the world. These delivery services operate 24 hours a day across many parts of the country, especially in rural areas.
The drone flies over the ordering-hospital or clinic and drops the package mid-air. The package floats down using a parachute to slow its momentum. After delivering, it flies back to the Zipline distribution center for reloading.
In June 2022, another West African country, Nigeria, became the third country on the African continent and fifth globally to launch and operate medical drone deliveries. Zipline started its operations in Kaduna State.
Security Drones
Security-wise, drones have become a great way of fighting crimes in many African countries such as Namibia, Ghana, South Africa and others. The Namibia Police deployed (in August 2022) drones to help fight crime in the national capital of Windhoek when the city grappled with a surge in criminal activities.
The deployment of the drones has been helping the country control knife and gun attacks and combat night robberies.
In 2019, the Ghana Police Service started using drones to fight drug trafficking among other crimes in the country. South Africa’s Police department is also setting up to deploy drones in their fight against crimes
E-commerce
Items delivery from hubs to customers’ locations has been a major challenge in our world today, particularly in Africa with poor road infrastructure and limited airlines. However, technology has made it easier for African to trade. E-commerce companies have taken advantage of the drone deliveries.
Early this month, a Pan-African e-commerce company, Jumia partnered with Zipline to launch an on-demand drone delivery in Ghana, becoming the first country to deliver items with drones in Africa. This company has made plans to extend similar services to other West African countries including Nigeria and Côte d’Ivoire in the near future. With such services, the drones will have a maximum payload of 11.8 liters or 6.6 lbs (3 kgs) of some selected products that will be flown from Zipline centres to customers’ locations.
Media
Drones have become integral in African media as demand for media services surges. This technology has allowed journalists from private and state-owned media institutions to take footage of news events such as war-torn villages, natural disasters and protests.
Journalists are able to get quality aerial imaging without sitting in helicopters to take photos. It has also provided safe security for journalists especially in protests and ongoing wars. About a handful of media in Africa have access to these drones!
Even so, drones have disadvantages. Sometimes this technology invades people’s privacy. More so, drone systems get interrupted by hackers and breach security systems.
