The government of Mozambique is making good on its promise to make good use of drone technology during emergencies, with the confirmation that it has so far trained the first cohort of 30 drone operators to respond to cyclones, floods, and humanitarian emergencies from the air.
Readers may remember this story in February, where it was confirmed that the drones had joined the recovery efforts following the cyclone Disaster in the country.
Under the Drone-Based Disaster Management Solution project, supported by the African Development Bank and financed through the Korea-Africa Economic Cooperation Trust Fund – which first came to life in April last year – the milestone signals a shift in the country’s approach to preparing for and mitigating natural disasters.
The project aims to enhance the country’s preparedness and response to disasters by strategically deploying drone technology.
The training was delivered in the capital, Maputo, in partnership with the national Ministry of Communication and Digital Transformation, with Busan Technopark of the Republic of Korea coming on board as the drone partner.
PNU Drone, a faculty-founded enterprise in the Aerospace Engineering Department at Korea’s Pusan National University, delivered the training.
“The Bank will continue to facilitate capacity‑building activities as part of its policy dialogue to deliver better services at reduced costs for the people of Mozambique,” said Rômulo Corrêa, the Bank’s Mozambique country manager.
“By moving from training into active operations, we are ensuring that national institutions have the tools and skills needed to respond more effectively and save lives.”
The thirty certified professionals, including ten newly qualified drone instructors from various government entities and departments, received training in drone piloting, airspace regulations, data collection protocols, mission planning for disaster management scenarios, and drone maintenance.
In statement, AFDB said the project, which cost an estimated $967,000, reflects the Bank Group’s approach to fostering triangular cooperation by connecting African nations with leading global technology hubs to address development challenges with fit-for-purpose solutions.
“The completion of this training phase is a significant milestone, not only for the project but for Mozambique’s broader digital resilience strategy,” said Aderito Celso Félix Aramuge, Director General of the National Institute of Meteorology of Mozambique.
“We are proud to have equipped the first cohort of certified drone operators and instructors who will serve as the backbone of this national capability.”
He added that, with the training phase now complete, the project will deploy drones in five zones identified by the government as highly prone to disasters and flooding. Ten of the thirty certified operators will be selected for this phase.
The drones will carry out search and rescue, aerial mapping and surveillance, water quality monitoring, and data gathering for warning systems
“Mozambique now has a certified, self-sustaining drone workforce,” said Changwoo Baek, Director of PNU Drone.
“This is exactly the kind of concrete, lasting impact that technology cooperation between Korea and Africa should have.”
The AfDB project manager El Khili Lhoucine also chipped in.
“This phase represents the heart of the technology and knowledge transfer ambition of the project: equipping Mozambican professionals not only to operate the systems but to own, sustain, and eventually expand them independently,” he said.