The WFP and humanitarian drone operations
In June this year, we attended the Drone & Unmanned Aviation Conference, South Africa’s flagship drone event where stakeholders in the country’s commercial drone space meet annually compare notes on the pace of the industry’s growth.
We worked with conference sponsor, drone insurance services provider, iTOO Special Risks, to pick the minds of the top voices in the African drone space when it comes to commercial drone applications.
The interviews ranged from industry growth, potential, the current state of the drone space as well as the future of drone technology operations in South Africa.
We are particularly proud of this next interview because of the impact Patrick and his organisation – the World Food Programme – are making, especially in underprivileged communities the world over.
WFP Drones does not work on a bottomless budget, but the organisation tries its best to stretch its resources so they cover the areas with most need.
We were thankful that Patrick made it to this year’s drone conference at all; for we reached out to him from his Venice, Italy base just three days before the conference – and he dropped everything he was doing to travel to Johannesburg to share his experiences.
Patrick McKay is the UAS Data Operations Manager for the WFP, as well as the Regional UAS Co-ordinator for the Southern African region, where he manages the WFPs first UAS hub.
Patrick joined WFP in 2004 as a mobile data collection specialist before moving into IT operations management followed by UAS operations. In 2019 he was the coordinator for the first official activation of drones during cyclones Idai and Kenneth.
As part of his work in the UAS hub, Patrick is looking into innovative ways of using UAS technology to improve the way humanitarians respond and communicate in emergencies as well as for emergency preparedness activities.
Patrick has participated in training activities, UAS search and rescue operations, flood modelling missions, and post-disaster mapping. He leads the UAS Connectivity Technical Working Group and is currently working on projects which aim to use UAS to provide connectivity following natural disasters.
As for his organisation; the WFP is scaling technology and innovation as part of its strategy to end hunger across the world by 2030. And one of these strategies was to look up to the skies to improve its ability to prepare for and respond to humanitarian emergencies.
The WFP has been developing the use of unmanned aircraft systems (UAS), commonly known as drones, since 2017. Having started with support from the Belgian government, the world food body developed a UAS coordination model, and in parallel, built local capacity to use drone technology in countries prone to natural disasters.
Now, the organisation focussing on three core activities related to drone technology with support from the United Kingdom’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office Development (FCDO) – develop a global level coordination cell, preposition equipment for humanitarian intervention and expand the TWGs to achieve tangible outcomes in 4 areas (Ethics, Regulations & Operations, Imagery and Connectivity).
The WFP has also been working with the European Union Humanitarian Aid (ECHO) to carry out complementary activities such as building the capacity of the National Disaster Management Agency (INGD) in Mozambique to use drones effectively for emergency preparedness and response.
The WFP says it leverages decades of experience in Aviation, Logistics and Telecommunications to serve affected populations in over 80 countries each year.
In the words of the WFP, some of its drone technology use cases are in the below areas:
Cargo Delivery
WFP Aviation is committed to optimizing and enhancing its cargo delivery capabilities through technology to reach the last-mile. Since 2019, WFP has been exploring the use of Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems (RPAS) for supply delivery operations in areas with significant access constraints.
The use of RPAS could help reduce the risks associated with staff security in conflict environments and remote locations. WFP has also been proactively collaborating with civil aviation authorities including ICAO and IATA as well as other UN agencies and Interagency Supply Chain Group’s UAS coordinating body to develop RPAS operational frameworks for humanitarian uses.
Communication
A image taken from the skies can often help convey the larger picture and contextualize the scale of humanitarian activities on the ground. Increasingly, drones are becoming a powerful storytelling tool, opening up new horizons while minimizing exposure risks for humanitarians in the field.
Community Participation
Emergency preparedness and response maps can allow communities to take an active part in assessing hazards, determine coping strategies and make better-informed decisions. In the wake of a disaster, real-time information can enable community members to identify damages to their homes, crops and surrounding areas.
Maps produced by drone imagery can also be printed and used during community dialogues between local populations and humanitarians, strengthening response collaboration.
Connectivity
WFP is exploring the use of drones to provide connectivity in remote areas where coverage is limited or non existent as well as during emergencies. As a cost-effective and rapidly deployable solution that can cover large areas, drones can be equipped with mobile and Internet connectivity equipment to fill gaps in network coverage.
Crop Monitoring
Crop health and soil conditions can be monitored by using a combination of drone images and software analysis. Drones equipped with multispectral cameras can be used for agricultural purposes by capturing Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) data.
NDVI uses algorithms to decode the amount of light absorbed and reflected by a crop to help determine its health. WFP is currently exploring these applications to bolster local livelihoods and food security.
Damage Assessment
In the aftermath of a disaster, access to information is critical to allocate resources and reach people in need of assistance. Having a bird’s-eye view can help humanitarians get a better grasp of the whole picture. Drones can provide rapid post-disaster assessments and map out large areas accurately, saving both time and improving emergency response efficiency.
Flood Modelling
Drones open up new possibilities in disaster management activities with hazard mapping and modelling. WFP is using drones to collect data, map and model flood plains as well as create disaster preparedness profiles in high-risk areas.
Drone data can be analysed to support national and local level decision-making and bolster emergency preparedness planning before disaster strikes.
Search and Rescue
When lives are at stake, every second counts. Following a disaster, search and rescue missions require speed and agility. Location access is often a challenge as infrastructure is damaged. Drones offer a rapidly deployable tool that can cover large areas.
Mounted with infrared cameras, they can detect things the human eye cannot, saving time and improving search and rescue mission outcomes.
Site Surveys and Line of Sight
Installing reliable radio links and communication network are essential to provide connectivity during emergency responses.
Choosing the right site or simply acquiring line of sight rapidly and accurately for network set ups can be challenging in humanitarian contexts. Drones offer up-to-the centimetre precision while minimizing humanitarian exposure to risk.
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