DDG ALLIANCE

NOVEMBER 2019

AUTHORS TENDAI PASIPANODYA MARISKA VAN GAALEN PAOLA ZISMAN HANS PETER THAMM

When to use drones Understanding when and under what conditions it makes sense to use drones to deliver critical healthcare products

Supported by the Business Partnership Fund DDG ALLIANCE, NOVEMBER 2019

THIS REPORT WAS MADE POSSIBLE THROUGH THE GENEROUS SUPPORT OF THE FOLLOWING DDG ALLIANCE PARTNERS

CONTRIBUTORS:

Airbus ZOE BEATTIE REYMOUND YAW BUCKMAN ALFRED LIEF HARINI KULATUNGA MADHUSUDHAN PADMANABAN GUIDO SCHWARTZ

LifeBank AISHA ABIOLA ABRAHAM EKELE TEMIE GIWA-TUBOSUN SODIQ OLOKO IFEOLUWA OLOKODE

Merck MUNYA CHIVASA HERVE KUBWIMANA

©NOVEMBER 2019, DDG ALLIANCE, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

CONTACT: TENDAI PASIPANODYA AT [email protected].

P.2 SPECIALWHEN THANKS TO USE DRONES IN HEALTH DELIVERIES? DDG ALLIANCE, NOVEMBER 2019

THE DDG ALLIANCE WOULD LIKE TO THANK:

THE BUSINESS PARTNERSHIP SUPPORT FUND OF THE UK GOVERNMENT FOR THEIR SUPPORT WITH THIS PROJECT AND CO-FUNDING CONTRIBUTION.

THE INFORMATION NETWORK AND SECURITY AGENCY (INSA) OF THE ETHIOPIAN GOVERNMENT FOR THEIR EXCEPTIONAL SUPPORT WITH THIS PROJECT AND THEIR FIELD OPERATIONS IN ETHIOPIA.

CONTENTS

BACKGROUND ...... 6 ABOUT THE POC...... 6 WHY IS IT IMPORTANT?...... 6 METHODOLOGY...... 7 OUR SYSTEMS CHANGE APPROACH...... 8

ABOUT THE USE CASE...... 9 CRITICAL HEALTHCARE PRODUCTS...... 9 HOW PRODUCTS GET TO POINT OF NEED ...... 10 ABOUT LIFEBANK’S OPERATIONS...... 10 LOCATION A: AFAR STATE, ETHIOPIA...... 11 LOCATION B: KADUNA STATE, NIGERIA...... 13

DRONES AS PART OF THE SOLUTION...... 14 WHY DRONES?...... 14 DRONE SELECTION...... 16

FINDINGS: WHEN TO USE DRONES...... 18 SIX KEY CONSIDERATIONS...... 18 BUSINESS-CASE FACTORS FOR LOCAL OPERATORS...... 19 THE BUSINESS CASE TODAY...... 23 NEAR-FUTURE SCENARIO...... 24 THE FAR-FUTURE SCENARIO...... 25

RECOMMENDATIONS...... 27

OUTLOOK...... 29

P.3 DDG ALLIANCEWHEN TO USE DRONES IN HEALTH DELIVERIES? DDG ALLIANCE, NOVEMBER 2019

The Drones Doing Good (DDG) Alliance seeks to promote the smart, efficient and sustainable use of drones for the achieve- ment of the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). We apply a systems-change approach to our work, support the localisation of technology and bring together a diverse group of partners in order to achieve the objectives of the Alliance. BACKGROUND

Airbus BizLab is a Global Aerospace Accelerator that ABOUT THE PROJECT WHY IS THIS INITIATIVE IMPORTANT? transforms early-stage ideas into businesses in a hy- brid model, combining external startups and inter- Today, it is clear that drones can play a vital role in Specifically, this POC focused on how we can enable nal innovation projects on the same platform. delivering critical healthcare products. However, local businesses in the critical health logistics sec- it is less clear when drones should be used in pref- tor to integrate drones into their operations. In the erence to other available mobility options, such as last few years, various groups have tested opera- motorbikes, trucks or boats, in terms of maximising tions in which they have delivered healthcare prod- Endeva is a systems-change facilitator with the mis- impact, saving the most lives and ensuring value for ucts with drones. Most of these activities have been sion to make the global economic transformation in- money for governments, hospitals and end clients focused on a technological proof of concept. We ex- clusive. We tackle today’s development challenges in low- and middle-income countries. tend that to include the business case. by nurturing the businesses of the future. We sup- port our partners to become future-fit and curate This project set out to understand in which cases Moreover, we focus specifically on working togeth- systems change in order to achieve the SDGs at scale. and under what conditions it makes sense to deliver er to enable an African technology and health-logis- critical medical products with an unmanned aerial tics startup to expand their operations to include vehicle (UAV), a device commonly referred to as the option of drones. It is our conviction that the a drone. The DDG Alliance set out to answer this African drone market will need strong African play- LifeBank is a Nigerian healthcare and technolo- question by conducting a practical proof of concept ers to thrive, and to produce sustainable business gy logistics startup that applies innovation to the (POC) based on field research in Ethiopia and models that are able to solve local challenges. business of saving lives. LifeBank implements loca- Nigeria and test flights in Ethiopia. tion-based optimised delivery with the best mode of transport for the job. In January 2018, the JSI Research & Training Institute released a white paper entitled “What should you

[1] deliver by unmanned aerial systems?” The white paper provided a highly valuable starting point for Merck Accelerator selects, supports and partners our efforts to answer our research question. How- with startups operating in healthcare, life sciences, ever, the information in it is based on desktop re- performance materials, and other fields such as bio- search and theoretical considerations. Accordingly, sensing & interfaces, clean meat and liquid biopsy. the paper calls for more research based on actual cases implemented in practice. This is where this re- port adds value. It builds on the JSI white paper and adds considerations and recommendations based Dr. Thamm of Geo-Technic has 15 years of experience on the implementation of our POC. in operating successful UAS in different countries in Africa for resource management, mapping, agri- DRIVING INNOVATION culture and forestry, fighting erosion and enviro- nmental degradation. IN THE BUSINESS OF SAVING LIVES

P.5 P.6 1. JSI Research & Training Institute, 2018. ‘What should you deliver by unmanned aerial systems? The role of geography, product and UAS type in prioritising UAS deliveries.’ WHEN TO USE DRONES IN HEALTH DELIVERIES? DDG ALLIANCE, NOVEMBER 2019

OUR SYSTEMS-CHANGE APPROACH

Applying a systems-change approach

When considering the question of when to use It was clear that working with just a single actor drones, there are a number of potentially relevant would result in limited impact. For this reason, we factors. These considerations can make the use case assembled our “winning coalition” of partners that more or less viable for a drone operator. The illustra- would be able not only to achieve the ambitions of tion below shows which types of stakeholders play the POC, but also to play an important role in scal- a role. ing impact and enabling the commercial viability of drone deliveries. The DDG Alliance applied a systems-change ap- proach to this project, beginning by looking at the The value of a systems-change approach was clear. A drones’ ecosystem. We started by seeking to under- similar approach will thus continue to be applied in stand the motivations of the various actors, and the pilot phase. identified which players would be critical to ensur- ing that drones would be used smartly and effec- tively in health deliveries in Africa.

METHODOLOGY

We carried out the following steps in order to an- 3 Drone licensing paperwork STAKEHOLDERS swer our research question. In parallel, administrative procedures were initiat- ed by LifeBank in Nigeria to prepare the terrain for 3 Use-case analysis the POC. However, despite ongoing support from the Systems change facilitator. We began by conducting research to improve our aviation authorities in Nigeria for the project, securi- understanding of the need for critical healthcare ty agencies have stalled the process of importing the FUNDERS GOVERNMENTS products in Nigeria, in part by investigating Life- drones into the country. Facing such regulatory con- Investors: Ministry of Health: Bank’s model as a healthcare operator in the region straints, we looked for alternative locations with sim- Provide investment to finance Potential client for the drone the growth and expansion of solution and important in greater depth. Based on this understanding, we ilar needs for critical healthcare products, but where drone operations. partner in operations. developed the criteria for the drone we would select the permission to import and fly the drone might be Donors: Ministry of Interior Affairs: for the field operations. more forthcoming. Ethiopia proved to be a suitable Provide soft co-funding to Responsible for licensing and regulation of drone operations, and alternative location. The Ethiopian national-security catalyse innovative and impactful stakeholders. OPERATORS oversees import of supply-chain 3 Drone selection process agency, INSA, welcomed and facilitated the POC pro- equipment. Provide drone-operated We surveyed the drone market to see which drones cess with exceptional speed and efficiency. delivery services. would meet our requirements. We had a long list of 15 companies, which we reduced to a short list of 3 Preparation and implementation of the POC six models. Finally, the top three drone manufactur- After studying the use case and market need in Ethio- ers were invited for tests in Germany. pia, the POC research and beyond visual line of sight flights were successfully carried out in the Oromia re- The devices on our shortlist included the German- gion, in central Ethiopia. Additional field research on TECHNICAL CORPORATIONS drones’ UAV Songbrid, Wingcopter’s UAV 178 Heavy the use case was also conducted in the Afar region. EXPERTS Corporate partners can offer Lift and Vertical Technologies’ UAV Delta Quad. Thir- Support operators with the resources, scaling opportunities necessary know-how with and support for innovation. teen different categories of tests, including flight 3 Consolidation of findings regard to successfully DRONE tests, were conducted at the Airbus Drone Cen- These activities ground and give credibility to the find- integrating drone operations, MANUFACTURERS and help train staff. tre. Through this process, we learned about the ings presented in this report.Through this practical and Provide hardware as well as maintenance and strengths and weaknesses of the drones on the mar- implementation-oriented process, the DDG Alliance ex- repair services. ket at that time, and selected the Wincopter 178 HL perienced firsthand the complexity of setting up drone drone as the most suitable drone for our POC. operations for critical healthcare products and of iden- tifying suitable cases for drone operations. The key learnings have been consolidated into this publication.

P.7 P.8 WHEN TO USE DRONES IN HEALTH DELIVERIES? DDG ALLIANCE, NOVEMBER 2019

HOW PRODUCTS GET TO THE POINT OF NEED

The logistics process followed by LifeBank is a 4Ds Additionally, LifeBank provides a platform for volun- approach to critical healthcare logistics. LifeBank tary blood donors to book blood-donation appoint- ABOUT THE USE CASE provides blood banks and oxygen suppliers with an ments at the blood banks closest to them, enabling inventory-management application where they in- blood banks to receive these donors effectively. put their data. This data is analysed and made avail- able to hospitals on discovery platforms. LifeBank Drone deliveries can be easily integrated into Life- then deploys on the mobility solutions best suited Bank’s logistics process, as shown below. Drones for the specific hospital’s geographical areas, for in- would be an additional delivery option and comple- CRITICAL HEALTHCARE PRODUCTS stance with motorbikes, boats or light trucks to en- ment the existing mobility options of motorbikes, sure timely and high-quality delivery. trucks and boats. Like their counterparts in many other low- and mid- For our project, the DDG Alliance focused on testing dle -income countries, healthcare systems in Nige- the concept delivering blood, vaccines and samples. ria and Ethiopia face significant challenges with re- Blood and vaccines require an unbroken cold chain gard to ensuring that blood, oxygen, vaccines and throughout the logistical process. We worked with other essential medical supplies arrive where they the dimensions and weight typically used by blood are needed in the right condition and at the right supplies as a proxy. Vaccine and lab-sample deliv- time. The recent JSI publication entitled “What eries do not have standard weight and dimensions should you deliver by UAS” (JSI, 2018) identified five but can fit within the parameters needed for blood. types of healthcare products that are suitable for delivery by drone. These include: A bag of blood that holds a pint is 473ml (

BLOOD VACCINES SAMPLES OXYTOCIN According to the available ev- Over the past five years, immu- Early detection through col- According to the WHO, most idence, about 26,000 women nisation coverage in sub-Sa- lection of sample specimens is PPH-related deaths could be ABOUT LIFEBANK and 17,500 children die each haran Africa has stagnated at crucial in mitigating the effect avoided by the proper and time- year in Nigeria due to [2] a lack of 72%, exposing populations to of disease outbreaks where ly administration of prophylactic blood at the point of need. It is vaccine-preventable diseases fast reaction time is of the es- uterotonics. Prophylactic utero- LifeBank is a company in Nigeria that currently delivers time-sensitive, estimated that over 34% of ma- and outbreaks. sence. Cholera outbreaks were tonics are substances used to in- life-saving products via motorbike and boat in Lagos and Abuja. Their core ternal deaths in sub-Saharan Nearly 31 million children reported in several sub-Saha- duce contraction and increase delivery product is blood, but the company expanded its services to include Africa are caused by postpar- under five suffer from - vac ran countries in 2019, includ- uterine muscle tone during the [3] emergency medical oxygen in 2018. Beyond the delivery of these essential tum haemorrhage (PPH). PPH cine-preventable diseases. ing the north-east region of third stage of labour – that is, is defined as blood loss of Every year, more than 500,000 Nigeria and several regions in the period between the delivery medical products, LifeBank offers a full-spectrum solution that addresses [8] 500ml or more within 24 hours of these children die due to a Ethiopia. Health centres in re- of the baby and the delivery of the availability, discoverability, safety and affordability of these products. after birth. Once bleeding has lack of access to the vaccines mote areas often lack disease the placenta.[10] The WHO’s first started, death can occur with- they need.[5] Over 200,000 chil- surveillance facilities with choice of such prophylactic utero- [11] LifeBank implements optimised technology and location-based delivery in two hours. In Ethiopia, PPH dren in Nigeria die each year linked diagnostic laboratories, tonics is Oxytocin. However, is one of the leadings causes of each year from vaccine-pre- and thus lack capacity to acti- Oxytocin is heat sensitive and re- services to receive, match and dispatch orders for critical healthcare maternal mortality, along with ventable disease.[6] vate a rapid-response team for quires transportation and stor- products. As LifeBank’s delivery fleet expands to include more mobility preeclampsia/ eclampsia. In Ethiopia, the rate of cover- outbreaks. There is currently age at temperatures of between tools, they will select the best mode of transport for the job, that is, the [12] The shortage of blood at rural age of all basic vaccinations is a missing link with regard to 2°C and 8°C. In low-resource mode that will deliver the product at the best price-speed ratio. health facilities is a prominent highest in Addis Ababa (83%) quickly diagnosing, tracking settings where the temperature barrier to the management of and lowest in the Afar region and pinpointing the origin of cannot be guaranteed, the quali- PPH in the country. [4] (20%).[7] disease outbreaks in order to ty and effectiveness of available contain them.[9] Oxytocin may be compromised.[13]

P.9 P.10 2. Unicef, ‘Nigeria, Maternal and child health’, retrieved 19 December 2017 from: https://www.unicef.org/nigeria/children_1926.html 7. UNICEF, 2019, ‘Mini Demographic and Health Survey 2019’ 12. https://gh.bmj.com/content/4/2/e001466 3. USAID. 2016.Misoprostol Policy and Scale-Up for the Prevention of Postpartum Hemorrhage 8. WHO, 2019, weekly bulletin on outbreaks and other emergencies 13. https://apps.who.int/iris/handle/10665/255550 4. WHO. 2015, Understanding Barriers and Facilitators to Implementation of Maternal Health Guidelines in Ethiopia 9. Nature 2019 ‘How Africa can quell the next disease outbreaks’ 5. WHO, 2019, Experts caution against stagnation of immunization coverage in Africa 10.http://www.who.int/reproductivehealth/publications/tranexamic-acid-pph-treatment/en 6. WHO, ‘Child survival factsheets, Immunizations, WHO Immunization schedule Nigeria’, 11. https://extranet.who.int/rhl/es/node/150966 http://www.childsurvivalnetwork.info/uploads/3/4/7/7/34772087/immunizations.pdf WHEN TO USE DRONES IN HEALTH DELIVERIES? DDG ALLIANCE, NOVEMBER 2019

LOCATION A: AFAR STATE, ETHIOPIA BUILDING Location Northeastern Ethiopia coordinates: ON ETHIOPIA‘S Tertiary level 11° 48’ 59.99” N healthcare includes “specialised 41° 24’ 59.99” E HEALTH hospitals”. They serve as referral serve 3.5 – 5 million centres for general hospitals. Size [14] STRUCTURE people WHEN TO USE DRON72,000ES IN km HE2 ALTH DELIVERIES? @Zazi Please can you turn purple text into a visual on the Ethiopian heath care NETWORK systems strtucture, including type ofAfar facilitiy Hospitals role and numberClimate type of [15]people served. Desert and arid climate type, Secondary level LOCATION A: AFAR STATE,ETHIOPcharacterisedIA by limited and includes “general hospitals”. These hospitals unreliable rainfall. act as referral centres for primary hospitals serve 1 – 1.5 million and training centres for health officers, L oc a ti on Population in state [16] people nurses and emergency surgeons. Northeastener Ethiopia (coordinates: 1.5 million 11° 48' 59.99" N 41° 24' 59.99" E).

S i zCHALLENGESe 22 OPPORTUNITIES Covering, 72,000 km2 Primary level healthcare includes three subunits:

3 Weather and climate 3 Poor road infrastructure 1 Primary hospitals 2 Health centres (HCs) 3 Health posts (HPs) Cl i maThete tregiony pe is a lowland area below sea level This makes journeys arduous and long in the re- provide emergency provide preventive and curative are found at the village level. Desert and arid climate where temperatures routinely reach 48°C, making mote Afar region. Many areas are inaccessible by surgical services and are services and are referral points type, characterised by [15] referral centres to HCs. and practical training serve 3,000 – 5,000 limiteitd one an dof uthenr ehottestliable places on earth. vehicle. This presents an opportunity to add val- institutions for health people rainfall. ue through drone-based delivery. serve 60,000 – 100,000 extension workers. 3 Low nomadic population density people Po puAfarl a ti iso n a sparselyin St at epopulated region with a popula- 3 The tiered healthcare system in Ethiopia serve 15,000 – 25,000 17 1.500tion.00 density of 7 inhabitants per km2. The pastoral This brings healthcare to the community level people population herds livestock over vast distances.[17] through extension healthcare workers.

3 Absorption capacity Bui l di ng o n Et hiopia' s healt h s t r uct ure Health centres at the community level do not ne twork have the technical capabilities, storage capaci- As in many rural areas in Africa, giving birth presents signifi- ties or skills to carry out critical healthcare ser- cant challenges for women in Afar.[18] While some women are vices such as blood transfusions. able to go to a hospital before they give birth, thus ensuring proximity to care in the case of postpartum haemorrhage, the associated cost and complexity mean that many women give birth at home. Unfortunately, once a woman starts The Ministry of health is working on expanding blood transfusion bleeding, she typically has only two hours to survive. Increas- Foundation May Barbara picture: services at the level of Health Centers across the country. ing the availability of blood at health centres will help reduce Health outposts do not have laboratory capabilities and while they the distance women must travel in order to get care. are capable of collecting samples, transportation challenges and the absence of an established samples logistics network prevents health The prevalence of female genital mutilation (FGM) is outposts from offering sample collection services to patients. Instead, patients must travel to health centers or hospitals with high in Ethiopia among women aged 15-49 years (65%). This rate reaches 91% in the Afar region. [19] FGM has been laboratory services. Patients must travel to a lab themselves. shown to increase the risk of postpartum haemorrhage for women with type III FGM, which is the most severe form of FGM. [20]

P.11 P.12 14. World Bank, 2013. ‘The Use of Random Geographic Cluster Sampling to Survey Pastoralists’ 18. UNICEF, 2019, ‘Mini Demographic and Health Survey 2019’ 15. Climate Data. https://en.climate-data.org/africa/ethiopia/afar-1504/ 19. UNICEF, 2019. ‘Community in Afar join forces to end FGM’ The Minist16.r yUNICEF,2016. of hea ‘Afarlth Regional is w Stateork 2007/08ing –o 2015/16n ex : pBudgetand Brief.ing blood transfusion services at the level of 20. Adama Hospital Medical College, 2017. Factors Associated with Female Genital Mutilation among Women Health Ce17.n tFAO,er 2016.s a c‘Countryross Profile-Ethiopia the coun try. Health outposts do not have laboratory capabilities and while they are capable of collecting samples, transportation challenges and the absence of an established samples logistics network prevents health outposts from offering sample collection services to patients. Instead, patients must travel to health centers or hospitals with laboratory services. Patients must travel to a lab themselves. Source for visual : Primary Health Care Systems (PRIMASYS) - Case study from Ethiopia by WHO in 2017. 16

14. UNICEF, 2019, 'Mini Demographic and Health Survey 2019' 22. World Bank, 2013. 'The Use of Random Geographic Cluster Sampling to 15. UNICEF, 2019. 'Community in Afar join forces to end FGM' Survey Pastoralists' 16. Adama Hospital Medical College, 2017. Factors Associated with Female Genital Mutilation among Women of Reproductive Age in Gewane Woreda, Afar National Regional State, Ethiopia 17. UNICEF,2016. 'Afar Regional State 2007/08 – 2015/16 : Budget Brief.' DDG ALLIANCE, NOVEMBER 2019 P. 8 17 Climate Data. https://en.climate-data.org/africa/ethiopia/afar-1504/ 18; World Bank Data https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/IT.NET.USER.ZS 19. FAO, 2016. 'Country Profile-Ethiopia' 21. Barbara May Foundation

WHEN TO USE DRONES IN WHENHEALT TOH D USEELIV DRONESERIES? IN HEALTH DELIVERIES? DDG ALLIANCE, NOVEMBER 2019

LOCATION B: KLOCATIONADUNA STATE ,B: NI GKADUNAERIA STATE, NIGERIA Location DRONES AS PART OF Northern Nigeria coordinates: 10°20’N 7°45’E L o c ati o n Northern Nigeria (coordinates: 10°20’N Hajia Gambo [21] THE SOLUTION Sawaba General Size 7°45’E). Hospital Zaria 46,053 km2. It is 1.75 times the

19 S iz e size of Rwanda, and is Nigeria’s Covering, 46,053 km2, it fourth-largest state. is 1.75 times the size of WHY DRONES? Rwanda and Nigeria's 65km Comprehensive Range of drone Climate type [22] fourth largest state. with Primary Health battery change Centre Jaji Sudan Savannah type, THE OPPORTUNITY THAT DRONES OFFER FOR WHY WE CHOSE TO USE A VTOL DEVICE 20 Clima te t ype characterised by tall grass and CRITICAL HEALTHCARE PRODUCTS Sudan Savannah type, characterised by tall Birnin Gwarni scattered short trees and shrubs. 38.5km grass and scattered Across Africa, millions of people die each year because Our project aimed to extend the scope of services short trees and shrubs. Population in state [23] hospitals are unable to obtain blood, oxygen, vaccines beyond long-range delivery to include pick-up of NBTS Kaduna 21 100km 8.2 million and other essential medical supplies at the right time medical products. Layering use cases in this way Po pul a ti on in Stat e Range of drone 8,252,366 without and in the right condition. Poor and non-existent road holds the potential to truly revolutionise health- battery change networks are a critical logistical challenge in most Af- care logistics through the use of drones in rural rican countries. According to the World Bank, sub-Sa- and remote areas. Drones with vertical take-off and CHALLENGES OPPORT UNIT IES Regul a t ion Blood usa ge haran Africa is the only region in the world where landing (VTOL) capabilities also offer the advantage Nigeria’s nascent UAV inCHALLENGESdustry and the Unlike in Ethiopia, blood use in NigerOPPORTUNITIESia is not road density has declined in the past two decades.[26] of flexibility in operations by avoiding the need for office of the National Security Adviser’s restricted to only hospitals. Comprehensive large and complex take-off and landing facilities. In- concerns about security and safety Primary Care centers, which serve more rural during UAV operations s3lo wRegulationed down t he areas,offer obstetric and gynecologica3l sBloodervice usages The associated cost is substantial and includes the stead of simply dropping the payload with a para- process for getting the necTheessa securityry agenciessuch a sin l aNigeriabor and slowed delive rthey, a nprod m- inor suUnlikergeries ,in Ethiopia, blood use in Nigeria is not millions of lives lost annually by people, clinics and chute, VTOL drones guarantee a smooth and safe de- permissions to carry out a cessPOC of gaininga permissionll of which otoft ecarryn req uoutire bal oPOCod. Unforturestrictednately, to hospitals. Comprehensive prima- hospitals being unable to access critical healthcare livery. Once selected, the landing sites require little examining UAV usage in Kaduna. such health facilities have limited blood focusing on drone usage in Kaduna. ry care centres, which serve rural areas, offer products and services as they are needed, the thou- preparation beyond spreading a tarp and pegging it Ra inf al l pa tterns banking and screening capabilities and thus Kaduna is characterised by a rainy often resort to using less thoroughly screobstetricened and gynaecological services such as sands of accidents caused by pothole-riddled roads; to the ground. 22 blood gotten from non-voluntary blood donors. season starting in March3 a nRainfalld endin patternsg in childbirth and minor surgeries, all of which of- and the countless economic opportunities that are November with maximum rainfall in Aug UAVs present an opportunity to transport blood Kaduna is characterised by a rainy season start- ten require blood. Unfortunately, such health impossible to seize without a safe, reliable, timely For this reason, the DDG alliance focused its selec- ust. Average rainfall is 1280mm and hum from better equipped blood banking and idity ranges between 20% aingnd 9in0 %March. The andscre eendingning fa cinili tiNovemberes like the Nwithatio nal Blofacilitiesod have limited blood-banking and screen- way to transport goods and services. tion process on VTOL drones that fit the use case for rainfall intensity in the wetmaximum season is rainfallTra ninsf uAugust.sion Se Averagervice (N BrainfallTS) Kad isun a. ing capabilities, and thus often resort to the the delivery and pick-up of healthcare products and quite high.Wind speed is m1280mmostly low ander humidityConn erangesctiv ity between 20% and use of less thoroughly screened blood obtained Drones have significant potential to improve the samples. than 28km/h i.e. less than 8m/s. Mobile network coverage (2G) in Nigeria was 99. 90%. The rainfall4 p intensityer cent in in20 1the6 (a cwetcor dseasoning to data frofromm th enon-voluntarygl blood donors. Drones pres- availability of health products in hard-to-reach loca- is quite high. Windobale speedconom isy .cmostlyom). lower than ent an opportunity to transport blood from bet- tions. A major benefit of drones is their ability to fly We were aware that limiting the scope of investi-

However, 3[24]G and 4G coverage are less 28km/h i.e. less thanwide s8m/s.pread with LTE only being ter-equipped blood-banking and screening facil- over difficult terrain and improve the speed of deliv- gation solely to VTOL drones could detrimentally 23 available in towns. ities like the National Blood Transfusion Service ery. Given previously mentioned challenges faced by impact some elements of the business case in the (NBTS) in Kaduna. many public health supply chains, drones may offer a short term. For example, high cost of the VTOL sys- These two locations present different challenges and opportunities for the use of UAVs to deliver critical healthcare products. However, one strong similarity shared by thes e two reliable last-mile delivery system for selected scenari- tems could represent an accessibility barrier, or locations is the need for quick, safe and reliable transport as well as covering hard tConnectivityo travel os. These include emergency or just-in-time deliveries the shorter range of VTOL devices relative to fixed- These two locations present different challenges 3 distances. Drones might represent viable options for life saving services. The rate of second-generation (2G) mobile network of life-saving medicines or safe blood for transfusions wing aircraft could leave some locations inaccessi- and opportunities for the use of drones to deliver critical healthcare products. However, both locations coverage in Nigeria was 99.4% in 2016 (according in remote areas. ble. However, since the technology is expected to 19. Kaduna state population estimates for 2016 was 8,252,366 according to the feature a need for quick, safeNation andal Bure areliableu of Statistics, rtransportetrieved on 14 Aug uinst, 2018 from: to data from theglobaleconomy.com). However, advance rapidly in the coming years, the team be- http://nigerianstat.gov.ng/elibrary. areas defined by hard-to-travel20. Encyclo pedistances.dia Britannica, re trieved on July 3rd 2018 from: 3G and 4G coverage rates are lower, with LTE The drone-enabled delivery of critical healthcare lieves that the potential benefits are high enough to DDG ALLIANCE, NOVEMBER 2019 P. 10 https://www.britannica.com/science/Koppen-climate-classification Drones might represent a 2viable1. World met eoptionorological or gforanisa tlife-savingion for the period 19 61-1990. [25] 22. Meteoblue - based on 30 years of hourly weather simulation available only in towns. products in Africa is in its early stages, although in- offset these disadvantages. services. 23. The Global Economy, retrieved on 14 August from: https://www.theglobaleconomy.com/Nigeria/Mobile_network_coverage/. creasing activity is starting to take place. First-mov- er companies such as Zipline are being accompanied by an increasing number of actors. In 2018, UNICEF opened up a test corridor in Malawi where companies are allowed to fly test missions. Additional operations were facilitated in Sierra Leone in November.

P.13 P.14 21. Kaduna state population estimates for 2016 was 8,252,366 according to the National Bureau of Statistics, retrieved on 14 August, 26. The World Bank (2015). Why we need to close the infrastructure gap in Sub-Saharan Africa. Retrieved 21 December 2017 2018 from: http://nigerianstat.gov.ng/elibrary. from: http://www.worldbank.org/en/region/afr/publication/why-we-need-to-close-the-infrastructure-gap-in-sub-saharan-africa 22. Encyclopedia Britannica, retrieved on July 3rd 2018 from: https://www.britannica.com/science/Koppen-climate-classification 23. World meteorological organisation for the period 1961-1990. 24. Meteoblue - based on 30 years of hourly weather simulation 25. The Global Economy, retrieved on 14 August from: https://www.theglobaleconomy.com/Nigeria/Mobile_network_coverage/. WHEN TO USE DRONES IN HEALTH DELIVERIES? DDG ALLIANCE, NOVEMBER 2019

DRONE SELECTION: DIFFERENT TYPES OF DRONES WHICH DRONE WE The table below provides an overview of the main types of drone categories, along with their advan- SELECTED AND WHY tages and disadvantages. REQUIREMENTS

SELECTION PROCESS

Vertical take-off and The drone-selection process was divided into two TAKE-OFF & landing, automatic on LANDING ADVANTAGES DISADVANTAGES steps: command.

1. A requirements analysis resulting in a shortlist 3 longer flight distance 3 no vertical take-off or Min. 2kg-3kg, 1.5kg net FIXED WING of preselected drones PAYLOAD 3 have the ability to carry landing payload. more weight 3 requires a long runway 2. A test of the shortlisted drones in Germany, first 3 requires complex landing at the manufacturers’ company sites and after- Min. 30km one way, 60km infrastructure RANGE return without battery wards at the Airbus Drone Centre. charge at health facility.

A detailed account of this process is documented in 3 vertical take-off/landing 3 limited flying time and Should be able to operate MULTIROTOR the DDG project’s Drone Selection Brief. In addition, 3 easy manoeuvering shorter travel distances MAX WINDSPEED up to 12 m/s. a technical report is available upon request.

Must be able to handle TEMPERATURE [27] temperatures of up to 40°C in shade. REQUIREMENTS HYBRID 3 offers advantages of 3 generally less far in both fixed-wing and development, more Based on the LifeBank use case, the project team One person must be able HANDLING to handle aircraft alone. multirotor models nascent technology established a set of 31 requirements covering the 3 vertical take-off/landing drone device itself, the specified operational activ- longer travel distance ities/mission, logistics details, and relevant regula- Fully electric. 3 ENGINES 3 possibility to collect tions. The table below summarises the drone-relat- items from drop-off site ed requirements. As previously mentioned, the most 3 minimal landing site prominent requirement was that the drone selected Water resistant/dust PROTECTION preparation necessary possess VTOL capacities, thus enabling the collection proof. of diagnostic samples and other products.

ROTOR WING 3 heavy payload capacity 3 limited flight distance 3 ability to hover vertically 3 harder to fly in the air 3 expensive due to higher complexity and maintenance needs

P.15 P.16 27. Microdrones https://www.microdrones.com WHEN TO USE DRONES IN HEALTH DELIVERIES? DDG ALLIANCE, NOVEMBER 2019

PRE-SELECTION DRONE TEST CRITERIA Based on the project requirements and the speci- FINDINGS: fications of the VTOL drones available on the mar- • General handling (GH) ket, the project team recommended selecting Wing- • Quality of frame (QF) copter’s Wingcopter 178 Heavy Lift, Germandrones’ • Pre-flight check (FC) WHEN TO USE DRONES Songbird and Vertical Technologies’ Delta Quad • Flight planning (FP) for further testing at the Airbus Drone Centre in • Flight test (FT) Manching. • Flight observation (FO) • Emergency procedures (EP) TESTING OBJECTIVES • Telecommunication (TC) SIX KEY CONSIDERATIONS • General properties (GP) One goal of the tests in Germany was to verify the • Maintenance (MA) Due to administrative delays in Nigeria with regard CATEGORIES OF FACTORS specification-related information provided by man- • Transport box (TB) to the licence to import drones, the location of the ufacturers. Furthermore, the tests served the fol- • Payload box (PB) POC was moved to Ethiopia. Thanks to the strong When considering when it makes sense to use lowing objectives: • System prices (SP) support of the Ethiopian government’s Information drones, there are a number of factors that must be Network and Security Agency (INSA), a two-week taken into account. These factors can be grouped • To verify that the flight properties were correct. campaign was successfully conducted in Ethiopia. into six categories, as illustrated below. The remain- • To verify that the flight paths were repeatable. During the campaign, we flew the drones beyond der of this chapter goes into more detail on these • To gain information on how best to design take- the visual line of sight, conducted field research and specific factors, with a focus on which factors could off and landing sites. spoke to a range of local stakeholders. The follow- be changed to improve the business case for local • To identify training needs for staff. ing points consolidate the findings obtained though operators. • To obtain an initial understanding of main- the proof-of-concept process, and provide the an- tenance needs. swer to our central question: In which cases and un- • To ascertain the selected drones’ airworthiness. der what conditions does it make sense to deliver critical medical supplies with a drone.

Test criteria Final selection: Wingcopter 178 Heavy Lift

To facilitate objective testing and comparability, the Among the drones tested, the Wingcopter 178 HL ful- 6 KEY CONSIDERATIONS DDG team created a detailed criteria list for assess- filled all flight tests to the to the greatest degree. Fur- ing all different aspects of the drone. This compre- thermore, the company’s communication was pro- hensive list is of value beyond the scope of this proj- fessional, and their customer-oriented service was DEMAND DRONE SPECS ect, because it enables a potential user to evaluate highly appreciated. This is a very important factor Factors relating to the demand for Factors relating to the specifications the drone’s properties in an objective way, and fa- for the DDG team considering that after-sales sup- critical healthcare products in the of the drone used to deliver critical cilitates fact-based decision-making when assess- port will have the additional challenge of supporting area to be served via drone. healthcare products. ing safety features and identifying an appropriate operations on another continent. Thus, the Wingcop- drone. A full list of criteria is available upon request. ter 178 HL was selected as the most suitable commer- cial drone for the DDG Health project. An extensive PRODUCT OPERATIONS technical report documents this process.[28] Factors relating to the types and Factors relating to the operational characteristics of the products to aspects of drone-based delivery of be delivered. critical healthcare products

ABOUT THE AIRBUS DRONE CENTER INFRASTRUCTURE Factors relating to the general infra- REGULATIONS The Airbus Drone Centre in Manching, Germany is a dedicated drone flight-test facility situated structure and geography of the area Factors relating to the regulations in the controlled airspace of the Ingolstadt/Manching Airport. The Drone Centre provides the to be served via drone. that form the legal context in which opportunity to conduct flights in a controlled 2,500-metre flight zone, while supported by flight- drones will be operated. test instrumentation and Airbus flight-test and airworthiness personnel.

P.17 P.18 28. Drone selection brief : https://www.dropbox.com/s/1kgotll34rrev0q/DDG_Drone%20selection%20brief_FINAL_E.pdf?dl=0 For the more technical and detailed documentation on the drone selection process please contact Tendai Pasipanodya: [email protected] WHEN TO USE DRONES IN HEALTH DELIVERIES? DDG ALLIANCE, NOVEMBER 2019

FACTOR SET ABOUT MEASURE Business case factors for local operators. DEMAND

The quantity of health facilities’ de- Average quantity per month Unlocking the business case – why changeable QUANTITY mand for critical health products. This factors are the key may fluctuate but is seen as a given.

The variability of health facilities’ Standard deviation of monthly de- If we want to unlock the business case for the smart VARIABILITY demand of the critical healthcare mand / monthly demand inclusion of drones in the delivery of essential med- products. This too is given. ical products, it is critical to understand which of the factors influencing the use of drones are The frequency and extent of health- % facilities with stockout; length and STOCKOUTS care facilities’ stockouts of demand- frequency of stockout at a facility changeable, and which are set. Changeable factors ed healthcare products. are those which can be significantly influenced by any stakeholder in the drone ecosystem to positive- ly increase the impact of using drones. PRODUCT

Shelf-life duration and required storage Shelf life in days/ months/ years; STORAGE conditions. description

The value of the product to USD per unit FINANCIAL VALUE be delivered.

The weight and volume of the product kgs per unit, litres per unit WEIGHT / VOLUME to be delivered.

INFRASTRUCTURE

The density of health facilities that No. of facilities per 10,000 square km HEALTH FACILITY are within the drone’s range and have DENSITY the capability to use the delivered products.

The ease or difficulty with which a % of facilities inaccessible by road * % SET CHANGEABLE ACCESSIBILITY healthcare facility can be accessed. of year inaccessible by road FACTORS FACTORS This is a given for the operator.

The quality of road surfaces on way Travel speed by road in km/hour Set factors are those that cannot be Changeable factors are those that can be ROAD SURFACE to health facility – for instance, smooth tarmac or a changed in order to improve the business changed in order to improve the business QUALITY case for using drones in an impactful way. case for using drones in an impactful man- bumpy gravel road. Can be changed but is a given for operations. This does not mean they do not vary over ner. Some factors, such as operational proce- time or place. For example, the density of dures, can be changed by the drone operator. Travel distance by road to a health Distance in km/ straight-line distance healthcare facilities in a given area may Other factors can be changed by other eco- ROAD CIRCUITY facility vs distance “as the crow flies”. change over time. But stakeholders cannot system stakeholders. For example, govern- change that density to make the business ments can influence the cost and effort asso- Available 2G, 3G, and 4G connectivity % of area with each type of connectiv- case more viable. ciated with obtaining a permit to use drones. in the area of operations. The GSM ity. USD for additional setup CONNECTIVITY net can be supplied by setting up a reliable and inexpensive telecommu- nication net (e.g. 866 kHz).

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FACTOR SET ABOUT MEASURE FACTOR SET ABOUT MEASURE

DRONE SPECIFICATIONS REGULATIONS

Drone performance, including its Maintenance, repairs and spare parts The time and money needed to obtain Cost in USD, time in days / weeks to range, safety and ease of use. While a licence to fly in a given area. This obtain a permit given per drone, this is rapidly PERFORMANCE LICENSING is changing as regulations are put in changing as the sector continues to place. innovate.

The total cost of insurance needed in Annual cost in USD The total cost of operations, which USD per hour of operations TOTAL COST OF order to operate drones for delivery in includes maintenance costs, product INSURANCE the given area. DRONE USE lifetime, etc.

Cost and time needed to import Cost in USD and time in days to import The maximum amount a drone can Payload in kgs., payload in litres drones and drone parts. This is products carry per trip. This is given per drone PAYLOAD influenced by how products are but can change as sector innovates. CUSTOMS categorised by tax laws. Integration of drones in the general airspace. Need MAINTENANCE, The cost and ease of maintaining and Average time and cost required to for an unmanned air traffic manage- repairing drones and batteries. This obtain, maintain and repair drone. ment (UTM) system. REPAIRS AND SPARE largely influences operations and PARTS depends on manufacturing base.

The rate at which a drone loses its % of initial cost of the drone DEPRECIATION value over time. This largely depends on the lifetime of the drone.

OPERATIONS

The cost of the electricity used to Local price per kWh POWER charge the batteries of drones used in operations. This is given in an area.

The cost of training staff in the opera- Cost per day * no of days tion of drone-based delivery services. TRAINING This depends on talent pools and procedures.

The cost of the cold-chain box. This USD per unit can be changed by collaborating COLD-CHAIN BOX with manufacturers of cold-chain solutions.

The cost of the pilot and other flight Salary per month PILOT AND FLIGHT operation staff needed for drone oper- OPERATIONS STAFF ations. This can change depending on the local talent pool.

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THE BUSINESS CASE TODAY POSSIBLE CHANGES TO FACTORS

To help illustrate the current business case, we pres- Transit results: how long does it take and how CHANGING DRONE ent a fictitious but typical example below that is much does it cost? PERFORMANCE based on the practical lessons derived from the use cases for Nigeria and Ethiopia. Drone: The drone has a flying speed of 80km/h at rela- At the time of the POC drone selection, the range of the best tive wind speed. In this case, the total transit time re- drone for the job was approximately 80 km one way with a quired to go from the blood bank to the point of need 2kg payload. This range determines the number of health is nearly 23 minutes. This includes 22min 30seconds facilities that can be serviced from a specific blood bank. flying time and 40 seconds for take-off and landing. A If the drone’s range (for the same payload) were improved drone has the advantage of being able to fly the linear by 40kms, for example, this would increase the number of distance, while cars must follow roads. Assuming oper- health facilities that can be serviced significantly. In addi- ations are running at a low scale of 1,000 flights annu- tion, features that would improve drone ease of use (e.g. a ally, transit costs are estimated at €140 per round trip simple go-home button), in combination with improved flight. Time calculations do not include the time in- connectivity (e.g. through the inclusion of antennae) would volved with receiving the request, preparing the deliv- reduce the number of pilots needed at the first point of de- ery package or any procedures at the destination. The parture from two to one, and further lower operation costs. A hospital in a sparsely time these procedures take is considered to be equiva- KEY LIMITATIONS TODAY populated rural and slightly hilly area features a blood lent to those found in any other mode of transport. bank. A health centre that • Some 65% of transit costs for CHANGING THE LOCAL CAPACITY FOR DESIGN, needs blood on a regular Small truck: A small truck on a bad road with potholes the drone are linked to the BUILD AND MAINTENANCE basis is located 30km away. that is only partially tarred travels at an average speed total cost of ownership, which of 20km/h. Since a motorbike would have to travel along includes drone and battery to- A substantial 65% of a drone’s transit cost in the scenario Due to poor LTE connectivity, a road rather than the linear distance, we increased the tal costs as well maintenance, for today derives from the total cost of drone ownership. two antennae have been set up distance to be travelled by a factor of 1.5 for a total dis- repair and spare parts costs. Although the technology is developing rapidly, the best to enable drone communication. tance of 45km, which would involve a total transit time drone for the job is currently designed and built outside of of 2h 15 minutes. In certain circumstances, such as flood- • Initial set-up costs for opera- Africa. As a result, certain aspects of maintenance require ing or heavy rains, roads could become impassable and tions and the costs of required outside expertise and the importation of spare parts. This thus prevent critical healthcare product delivery. Per- learning and training in order increases a drone’s downtime and involves considerable trip transit costs for a small truck are € 5.75. Monthly to standardise operations are costs associated with either sending the drone to the costs such as driver salary, fuel and maintenance ac- high. We estimate this to total manufacturer or having a specialist fly in to carry out re- count for some 66% of small truck operation costs. about €700 per flight for the pairs. In this scenario, sending the drone to a manufactur- first 1,000 flights. er can result in a loss of days of flights which, in turn, re- Conclusion: Such a use case could present a use case sults in less lives saved. Alternatively, flying an expert in for drone deliveries today. Other factors, such as a • An unfavourable regulatory for repairs increases total operation costs which, in turn, high density of health centres that use blood with- environment for drone opera- increases delivery costs. Having local expertise to assem- in a 30km radius or a high monthly average demand tions in many countries limits ble, repair and maintain the drones would therefore sig- for blood at each health centre, could improve the the use case. nificantly increase the number of lives saved. business case.

SCENARIO TODAY NEAR-FUTURE SCENARIO

Time in minutes Cost in EUR per delivery Number of lives saved Time in minutes Cost in EUR per delivery Number of lives saved 23 min €140 1 life saved and 10 samples can be collected

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THE FAR-FUTURE SCENARIO FUTURE REALITIES

Envisioning the far future by drawing on reason- 3 Widespread physical connectivity becomes a reality. 3 Increasingly sophisticated services at the primary able assumptions and current trends is a helpful Today, widespread mobile phone connectivity is healthcare level that are supported by technolo- exercise for organisations when contemplating al- a reality. In tomorrow’s world, widespread phys- gies such as remote diagnosis and robot-assisted

[29] ternative futures. Imagining the future ties in well ical connectivity will be a reality. minor surgery. This will be combined with a ret- with a systems-change approach because it allows ro-innovation focus on preventive care. us to better consider how best to reconfigure a par- 3 Drones are widely used as a part of standard deliv- ticular system so that its equilibrium is inline with ery services with a 5kg payload drone that has a 3 Locally designed and manufactured drones fea- our desired future. 250km radius being widely available at relatively turing smart, durable and nature-inspired design low cost. Drones will be very reliable and easy to and perhaps produced by a 3D printer. Since envisioning the future at Endeva’s ii2030 use for those without extensive experience with

[30] event was the genesis of this proof-of-concept predictive health monitoring systems, fail-safe 3 Increased availability of critical healthcare prod- project, it was only fitting that the DDG Alliance features and advanced emergency procedures. ucts translates into a greater ability to meet once again reimagine the far future as a means of blood demand through the separation of blood shaping the way forward. The illustration below de- 3 Drone ambulance and flying physician services products and perhaps the creation of synthetic picts an optimistic “Wakanda” scenario for the de- will reach most remote areas. This will be enabled blood. livery of critical health care products. by commercially available manned drones with a payload of 200kg that are able to fly 2,500km. 3 Clean energy used in all delivery by motorbike or motor vehicle. 3 Sophisticated air traffic management systems for manned and unmanned traffic. Drone corridors TRENDS with safety capabilities that allow us to track all drones and monitor unusual activity. • Progress in efficient fuel-cell technology to boost power in drones • Clean energy sources • Artificial intelligence in healthcare • Drone-enabled deliveries • Advances in manned drone technology • Improvements in ATM systems • Retro-innovation around preventive medicine • Clean energy

FUTURE SCENARIO

Time in minutes Cost in EUR per delivery Number of lives saved

P.25 P.26 29. Accenture. https://www.accenture.com/_acnmedia/pdf-73/accenture-business-futures-interactive.pdf 30. https://www.ii2030.com/tracks/drones WHEN TO USE DRONES IN HEALTH DELIVERIES? DDG ALLIANCE, NOVEMBER 2019

DRONE SPECIFICATIONS REGULATIONS

3 Increase drone safety and ease of use 3 Provide clarity on licensing

RECOMMENDATIONS Increasing drone range or payload can significant- The more clearly a country regulates and estab- ly improve the business case, as would further im- lishes the permission-to-operate procedures for proving drones’ failure rate and ease of use. drone operators, the more viable venturing into this field becomes for local businesses. This section highlights the role ecosystem players can have in influencing changeable factors while enabling Regulators – including security agencies – should the smart, cost-effective, efficient and commercially viable use of drones for critical healthcare. 3 Increase drone payload work hand-in-hand with operators to define sand- boxes and create corridors where drone usage can be safely explored. Drone corridors allow OPERATIONS The amount of payload a drone can carry heavily stakeholders to test assumptions, collect data and influences local operators’ business models, par- improve on all aspects concerning drones, from 3 Assemble, manufacture and design drones locally 3 Provide quality skills training ticularly when the required product is needed for regulation to manufacturing to operations. For ex- an emergency and exceeds the current payload. ample, the creation of the UNICEF Malawi drone Further innovation that enables larger payloads corridor, which allows for beyond visual line of Currently, the commercially available drones that Drone operators can only be as good as their will propel these business models. sight (BVLOS) testing in a 5,000 square kilometre fit the requirements of local operators in coun- staff. As this sector continues to grow, many area, has enabled stakeholders such as manufac- tries like Ethiopia and Nigeria are designed and new jobs will emerge that require a talent pool turers to identify the changes needed to improve manufactured abroad. Despite being the most of people trained for specialised roles such as pi- 3 Reduce the total cost of ownership flight stability. The creation of drone corridors in technologically advanced options, drones are not lot technicians, air traffic controllers, and so on. African countries will foster innovation and col- optimised for local heat and humidity conditions. This means that higher education institutions laboration in the drone sector while facilitating Localising design and manufacturing bears the will play a critical role in training and educating The total cost of operations will continue to fall their safe integration into African airspace. potential to create products specifically made this talent pool, ideally in collaboration with the as commercial drone markets develop. Increas- for local markets. Furthermore, local repairs and private sector in order to ensure that the skills ing drone range with new technologies like fuel maintenance will significantly reduce the cost match the sector needs. cells will strengthen business cases considerably. 3 Provide transparency on customs procedures and per flight. Localised design that is optimised for Having drones and spare parts manufactured spe- costs cost-efficient mass production can lower the cifically for local needs, having locally available price of a drone. Similarly, maintenance costs can 3 Provide an air traffic management system technicians for repairs and maintenance, and be- be lowered by locally manufactured replacement ing able to receive spare parts quickly will play a Regulators can encourage a sector by making parts and locally trained technicians. big part in strengthening the business case. custom procedures clear and information about As more drones take to the air, UTM systems will requirements readily available. become essential to ensuring safety in a context of several different operators. A UTM system, can meet the demands on national security and 3 Facilitate policy dialogue to ensure the safe use strengthen the acceptance of delivery services. of drones INFRASTRUCTURE

FUNDERS 3 Set up cost-effective solutions to ensure Given the sector’s rapid development, govern- GOVERNMENTS connectivity ments are advised to do more to understand the needs of local companies with the potential to DRONE MANUFACTURERS start local operations. This dialogue would also Network companies can support the use of drones help prevent the misuse of drones. CORPORATIONS telecommunication by working to improve net- works in rural areas. Drone operators can set up OPERATORS their own telecommunication. 3

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OUTLOOK

As a rapidly developing sector, commercial drone technology has significant potential to accelerate the achievement of the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). This will require the con- tinued collaboration of ecosystem players across the board. The DDG Alliance is excited to be a part of these developments.

The DDG Alliance will continue to work in partic- ular on enabling local companies in low- and mid- dle-income countries to become pioneers in the use of drones for positive impact, whether in health, agriculture or other sectors that are important to achieving the SDGs.

We will do this by focusing on two areas:

Pilot follow-up to the POC: We are currently looking for partners to follow up the POC with a multi-country pilot. This could include Ethiopia and Nigeria, among other countries.

Technology localisation: Manufacturing in Africa specifically is needed to ex- pand operations. This includes the local repair, main- tenance, design and manufacturing of drones as well as increasing the talent pool of pilots and technicians.

WE LOOK FORWARD TO COLLABORATING WITH ANYONE INTERESTED IN ACHIEVING THESE GOALS.

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