Malawi is Home to Africa’s First Drone Academy
Malawi this month opened the first African Drone and Data Academy, with support from the United Nations Children’s Fund, UNICEF. The academy aims to improve drone technology skills across Africa, beginning with Malawi and neighboring countries.
Karen Asaba developed an interest in drones at Uganda Flying Labs, a Kampala-based drone mapping and data hub. As a student at Malawi’s just opened African Drone and Data Academy, she gets to learn how to build one.
“Right now, we are learning how to assemble a drone from the start, considering its weight, considering the central gravity, considering the GPS and all the electronics that are involved in making the drone,” she said.
Asaba is one of 26 students from across Africa in the first three-month course at the academy, learning to construct and pilot drones.
The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) is backing the program, which this year is expected to train 150 students.
