Uganda can do much more with drone technology

The use of drones has been one of the major stories in Uganda’s political news concerning video footage from the NRM campaign trail.

This shows a major advancement in the use and capability of aerial technology in Uganda.

These unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) or Remotely Piloted Aerial Systems (RPAS) have proved useful in surveillance, but they can be customised to other uses as well to integrate ICT support to other sectors of the economy.

For example, in tourism, they can be used to fight poaching. The negative effects of poaching on the economy and regional security are well documented.

In 2011 alone, 25 elephants were killed illegally in the country’s parks. Black market value of one of the consignments of ivory intercepted at Entebbe Airport last year was estimated at almost $1.5 million.

If fitted with spy cameras, drones can help the Uganda Wildlife Authority to better exercise their mandate.
Furthermore, drones can also be used for Uganda’s tourism marketing.

Latest advancements made in the field of drone science and technology has made travel and tourism much easier.

It has taken people to places that were inaccessible before (virtual tourism), and more importantly, people could get a glimpse of their travel destination even before they visit (adventure travellers).

For the younger market, drones can be used to take selfies. This innovative idea of using drones to take selfies is being experimented by New Zealand Tourism to promote its ski slopes. Nicknamed ‘dronies’, these selfies have so far been a big hit among customers.

Other countries are also looking to emulate this strategy to appeal to the younger generation who tend to be fascinated with selfies. Uganda can also tap into the wide market base of young international travellers.

In agriculture, they can be used for spraying and crop management. Accurate weather and crop intelligence can make farms more efficient and help small holder farmers compete with large scale producers.

More importantly, with this technological support, farmers and companies can test their business models and develop new revenue streams, as well as attract new investment.

A widely-cited drone report released by the Association for Unmanned Vehicle Systems International predicts that the legalisation of commercial drones will create more than $80 billion in economic impact (such as revenue, job creation) between 2015 and 2025, and that precision agriculture will provide the biggest piece of that growth.

The International Potato Centre (CIP) and the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) are in advanced stages of making trials on spraying potatoes with the technology in southwestern Uganda.

In public health interventions, this technology can be used to spray incubating grounds for mosquitoes, tsetse flies and other disease carriers.