We’ve seen plenty of exciting applications of drone technology in Africa. Unsurprisingly, most of them are driven by necessity, far removed from the relatively frivolous notion of an Amazon prime delivery service or some kind of milkshake on-demand courier.
US startup Zipline has long been established on the continent, providing vital infrastructure for medical deliveries in Rwanda and, more recently, Tanzania. Drones have also been deployed in the fight against Malaria in Malawi and used to combat illegal poaching across the continent.
Drones prevent illegal fishing in Seychelles
Previously the use of drones to prevent poaching has occurred on land. But one north-African startup is taking the technology to the ocean: ATLAN Space.
The company’s FishGuard program was recently awarded $150,000 by the National Geographic Society in its Competition to Combat Illegal Fishing, a search for innovative solutions and technologies that protect and sustain fisheries in coastal communities.
To fight IUU ((illegal, unreported, unregulated) fishing and protect the sustainability of our oceans, we have created FishGuard, a fully scalable and adaptable solution that allows institutions to monitor millions of km2 while hugely decreasing the patrolling costs and greatly increasing the efficiency. FishGuard is a unique combination of autonomous drones guided by Artificial Intelligence, with field experience and capacity building.” – Badr Idrissi, ATLAN Space
Investigating threats from above
Currently, authorities have to use light aircraft or coast guard vessels to keep tabs on boats’ activities.
Malek Murison is a freelance writer and editor with a passion for tech trends and innovation. He handles product reviews, major releases and keeps an eye on the enthusiast market for DroneLife.
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[…] most glamorous of anti-poaching stories we’ve seen drones involved with. Lincolnshire is not the Seychelles or the expansive plains of Tanzania. But still, it’s another victory to be celebrated, […]