UNICEF has announced the opening of the first African Drone and Data Academy (ADDA) in Lilongwe, Malawi, to improve service delivery for children
Henrietta Fore, UNICEF executive director, said, “Humanitarian and development programme delivery in Africa and beyond can benefit significantly from the application of drone technology.
“The academy will be instrumental in equipping young people with the skills they need to use the technology to benefit children and their communities.”
Building on the work of Africa’s first humanitarian corridor launched in Malawi in 2017, the academy will develop expertise in the use of drones for humanitarian, development and commercial purposes across the continent over a 12-week course. It plans to train about 150 students to build and pilot drones by 2021. Funding from UNICEF’s partners will provide free education to the first cohort of 26 students from across Africa.
James Chakwera, director of Malawi’s Department of Civil Aviation, added, “In Malawi, we strongly believe that adopting modern technologies such as drones and advanced data analysis and management techniques will help us to serve our children better. We are proud to partner with UNICEF in such an exciting endeavour.”
The curriculum has been developed in partnership with Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (Virginia Tech) – following its successful delivery of training workshops in Malawi since 2017. The course will combine theoretical and practical methodologies in making, testing and flying drones.
By 2022, the academy will run a tuition-free two-year master’s degree programme in drone technology, in conjunction with Malawi University of Science and Technology (MUST). It will also deliver a curriculum that will build local capacity and a favourable ecosystem for the emergence of sustainable business models for using drones for humanitarian and development missions.
Kevin Kochersberger, associate professor at Virginia Tech who will lead the project, commented, “The ADDA reflects Virginia Tech’s ongoing commitment to the innovative application of drone technology and education in Malawi and the Africa region. The academy will give graduates the necessary skills for jobs using drone applications ranging from agriculture and health to natural resources monitoring.”
