# Drones: still an emerging technology in Africa

- Link: https://www.military.africa/2022/09/drones-still-an-emerging-technology-in-africa/
- Published: 2022-09-14T11:09:01+01:00
- Author: Military Africa

In recent times, there has been a steady rise in autonomous vehicles in Africa, 
both in military applications as well as in the civilian sector. While Nigeria has
placed an outright ban on the use of civilian and commercial drone technology, forward-
thinking countries like Rwanda have been utilizing the technology for improving 
their healthcare delivery sector. Zipline, the world’s first commercial regular 
drone delivery service for the Rwandan health service has been delivering urgent
medicines and main blood to 19 hospitals. Zipline currently distributes up to 40
essential medical supplies. Zipline blood delivery has reduced mortality and life-
threatening conditions significantly, especially in remote Rwanda where would have
taken over 4 hours for a car to reach. The term drone or Unmanned Aerial Vehicle(
UAV) should not be confused with hobbyist remote control (RC) aircraft which are
inferior in terms of capability.

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The decision of the Nigerian government to prohibit the use of drones in Nigeria
is equivalent to shooting one’s foot with own gun. As countries across the globe
scramble to build self-reliance in the area of innovative technologies, coupled 
with the Nigerian government’s focus on diversifying the economy, drone technology
offers an explosive growth in the moribund aerospace industry since various tech
start-ups and companies would directly contribute to the design, development, and
sales of the various components and sub-system required for drone assembly, maintenance,
and operations. This initiative would provide essential jobs for several thousand
technologists and also prevent capital flight and brain-drain in the aerospace sector,
in view of the fact that much-needed funds would be kept within the country.

Granted, in the wrong hands, drone technology can be used for criminal activities
as seen in the recent Dublin Airport drone attacks. In the episode, Dublin Airport
officials were forced to suspend all flights due to a drone sighting over an airfield,
the incident lasted more than three days.

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## Drones: still an emerging technology in Africa

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