A Nigerian delegation on a week-long study visit to Rwanda has made a stop-over at the of local drone maker and services provider, Charis UAS.

The team from Nigeria’s National Malaria Elimination Program was recently engaged on a study visit to look for solutions to deal with a malaria scourge back home.

Facilitated by the Rwanda Cooperation – the East African country’s global gateway that promotes its knowledge exchange innovative development initiatives through South-South and triangular cooperation – the visit led to the offices of Charis UAS, where the delegation learned of drone-based solutions to eradicate malaria.

“A delegation from Nigeria’s Ministry of Health is currently in Rwanda to learn how Charis UAS is leveraging drone technology for larviciding to combat malaria,” the drone company said.

“During their visit, we demonstrated the practical application of our technology in malaria control. The delegation was introduced to our Charis Analytics Platform, an advanced tool for mapping and detecting mosquito breeding sites. This platform enables the precise identification and geolocation of mosquito breeding sites, ensuring targeted interventions.”

The company also showcased its process for building, calibrating, and customising drone hardware, highlighting effective spraying techniques (ensuring precise larvicide application and dosage); cost reduction (custom-building drones to minimize operational costs); and implementing robust safety protocols for drone operation.

A demonstration was also part of the agenda, and it took place at Rugende Wetland, the drone operators showcased targeted drone flight paths optimised for efficient larvicide application; live take-off and precise spraying over identified breeding areas; and demonstrating how drone technology revolutionises vector control.

“The delegation expressed enthusiasm and appreciation for the practical demonstration, which provided valuable insights into the transformative potential of drone technology in combating malaria,” Charis UAS added.

“This visit also fostered opportunities for greater collaboration between the brotherly nations of Rwanda and Nigeria.”

Charis UAS started experimenting with drones in the fight against malaria in March 2020, working with the government to deploy drones to target mosquitoes at their breeding sites.

First, the company would map the mosquito breeding sites precisely, then detect positive breeding sites and spray using drones those areas that were previously inaccessible yet had mosquitoes breeding in them.

This approach proved to be extremely effective and three times faster than manual spraying. Moreover, the spraying is quite precise in reducing mosquito larvae densities.

The project proved success is drastically reducing the concentration of mosquito larvae in parts of Rwanda, and was quickly adopted across the country as a result.