Ghana-based Continental Drones will deploy 12,000 electric unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) from German tech developer Wingcopter across the African continent over the next five years.
To carry out the initiative, Continental Drones has become a Wingcopter Authorized Partner (WAP) for all 49 sub-Saharan countries. The drone-based delivery networks are expected to improve the reliability and efficiency of existing supply chains and help create completely new ones. Wingcopter’s technology will facilitate the on-demand delivery of medicines, vaccines and laboratory samples. Wingcopter has also highlighted the network’s potential to boost the countries’ economic development by connecting communities more effectively and creating new job opportunities focused on operating these delivery networks.
The companies pointed out that in many African regions, insufficient infrastructure is one of the biggest barriers to universal health coverage and economic development. Setting up large-scale drone delivery networks across African airspace is therefore intended to improve logistics in these countries and help build an entirely new transportation framework that is faster, cheaper, more sustainable and more efficient than the development of conventional ground-based infrastructure with all its unhealthy and climate-damaging emissions.
Alexander Asiedu, the founder of Continental Drones and chairman of Atlantic Trust Holding, said, “Together with Wingcopter, we are committed to accelerating the development and economic integration of Africa by enabling the creation of drone-based delivery networks across the continent. With our longstanding business experience on the ground and Wingcopter’s best-in-class drone technology, these networks offer a real chance to fuel economic development and help improve the livelihood of millions. African nations show true leadership by implementing this cutting-edge technology for the betterment of their people and generations to come”.
Tom Plümmer, co-founder and CEO of Wingcopter, added, “This agreement and trustful partnership is a real game-changer, positioning Wingcopter and Continental Drones at the top of the drone delivery industry. Wingcopter is well positioned to execute against the tremendous opportunity of drone delivery in the next decade. We are convinced that our cooperation with Alex and his Continental Drones team will unlock the African drone delivery market on a large scale, allowing us to jointly improve and save millions of lives.”