Originally developed for military use, drones—also known as unmanned aerial vehicles—are now used for purposes such as package delivery, agriculture, surveillance, and environmental monitoring.
As a result, demand for this technology is increasing day by day, and manufacturers are producing various types of drones to meet these demands.
Africa has become an attractive testing ground for drones due to both its geographical features and its recent continent-wide policies. Rwanda and Kenya are two of the countries where these tests are conducted.
The U.S.-based company Zipline tested its drones in Rwanda. Later, the company partnered with the Rwandan government to establish drone delivery sites across the country.
These sites are now used to deliver supplies to healthcare centers.
In Kenya, AALTO plans to set up an airport to test the high-altitude area for its drone, known as “Zephyr.” Geographically, Kenya is an ideal location for this work.
High-altitude drones can be used as mobile signal transmitters for internet connectivity and earth observation.
For this reason, telecommunications companies are particularly interested in this technology.
