The Drone Tech and Data Expo will kick off with a two-day conference at the Kenyatta International Convention Centre (KICC) in Nairobi on May 30th followed by a Last Mile Medical Delivery exercise at the Konza Smart City Drone Corridor from June 1-4 2022.
Commercial use of Unmanned Aircraft Systems, commonly known as drones, has been gaining traction across the filming industry, surveillance, mapping, sports and newsgathering.
So far More than 350 Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS) pilots have been issued remote pilot licenses after receiving drone operation training from KCAA-approved institutions. However, the lack of policy guidelines threatens the niche.
Drone Space Kenya’s Chief Executive Officer Tony Mwangi said,
“The lack of proper infrastructure and public transportation systems poses immense challenges to development in Kenya and Africa at large. Drones have proven efficient and more cost-effective in leapfrogging the physical connectivity gap in Kenya,”
adding that
“drone technology can help deliver medical commodities such as vaccines, anti-venoms, blood as well as medical supplies in areas where there’s limited infrastructure.”
ICT Principal Secretary Dr. Jerome Ochieng says drones can provide much-needed solutions, in a variety of applications to improve customer experience, increase productivity and mitigate the effects of climate change.
How using drones in farms is boosting profits for crop farmers
The event, which is the first of its kind in Kenya, has been organized by Drone Space Kenya, in conjunction with the Kenya Civil Aviation Authority (KCAA) and Konza Technopolis Development Authority (KoTDA).