Having witnessed the positive impact made on the lives of more than 1,000 graduates in the five years it has been in operation, the African Drone and Data Academy has now set its sights on expanding into more African countries, and even those in Asia.

This was revealed by Dr Michael Scheibenereif, the regional manager at ADDA, who said this during his keynote presentation at the Africa Drone Summit in Cape Town last week.

ADDA opened its doors to young drone entrepreneurs in January 2020 through a partnership between the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) and Virginia Tech's Center for International Research, Education and Development (CIRED).

As of May this year, the academy had trained about 1,100 graduates for a Certificate in Drone and Data Technology (CDDT), with about 90 percent of graduates getting employment within three months of graduation.

Which is why it may not be a surprise that 93 percent of graduates who left with academy with a CDDT Level 2 certificate have testified positively to the change that education has had on their lives, with the majority being employed or venturing out on their own as self-employed consultants and service providers.

Needless to say, this has inspired UNICEF to explore the possibility of expanding into more African countries, which include

• Ethiopia: where the new campus will focus on emergency preparedness and resilience
• Niger: where a first French-language campus will support precision agriculture training.
• Somalia: where the ADDA campus will focus on research into the green economy.

According to Dr Scheibenreif, these three countries will be the first, but UNICEF is in talks to establish academies in more countries, such as Kenya and South Africa.

Questions abound though on how these new academies will be funded, as the one in Malawi offered its services completely free of change, something that has been a challenge for the world body.

“That is why we need all the help we can get,” Dr Scheibenreif said.

“We need governments and corporates on board to help us make our dream of changing the lives of many youths on the continent come true.”   

Kevin Kochersberger, who helped found ADDA says the academy needs more cost-effective drones now that the program is upgrading its equipment from the EcoSoar aircraft, a fully autonomous aircraft capable of carrying a small payload beyond visual line of sight, which costs US$350.

"We've upgraded to a new design called Quadfoil, and we're hoping to get that out to these ADDA operators soon. That aircraft is going to be about a $500 to $600 aircraft," Kochersberger told Connecting Africa.

Asked if the rising cost of drones was due to higher equipment import tariffs, Kochersberger said, "Yes, we can't get around that."

Aside from the academy, UNICEF also has a drone corridor in Malawi, which offers a controlled platform for the private sector, universities and other partners to explore how drones can help deliver services that benefit communities and schools.

Kevin Smith, a program manager at Mass Robotics who has worked with many universities including Howard University – a historically Black college or university (HBCU) in the US – to bring a Drone Academy to students, said he knows firsthand how difficult it can be to cover equipment costs.

"Sustaining such initiatives is increasingly challenging in today's economic climate. Rising equipment costs and tightening budgets have led many funders to deprioritize investments, deeming them non-essential," Smith said.

"Now more than ever, it is imperative for industry leaders and philanthropic organisations to recognise that without their sustained support, the momentum behind these impactful organizations risks coming to a standstill," Smith added. 

Smith believes inclusive innovation can equip young talent to lead transformative changes in the world, especially in Africa. 

"By empowering the next generation of engineers, innovators and pioneers, particularly in the resource-rich continent such as Africa, we have the opportunity to unlock potential, not just locally, but globally," he told Connecting Africa.

As testified by Dr Scheibenreif, the change has been real and evident. There are several ADDA graduates like Desmond Katulika who has helped with disaster recovery and assessments efforts when cyclones hit his home country of Malawi; and Anne Nderitu, who has charted a path for herself on the Kenyan drone technology and robotics landscape.

Ndapile Mkuwu, a former ADDA student and now drone trainer, said being a part of the program has changed her life significantly. 

"I worked with different universities in Malawi and helped in capacity building focused on drone technologies and data," she said of the program after graduating.

“I also was able to acquire a grant from the Humanitarian OpenStreetMap team to map out the Dzaleka Refugee Camp in Malawi … using drones because of the high-resolution aspect they have.”

Mkuwu said she knows a lot of graduates who share similar stories post-ADDA and are leveraging their skills.