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Business Reporter
LOCAL firm Skyscape — a unit of predominately agribusiness concern Boka Tobacco Floors — has begun negotiations with Australian company Scout Ariel Group to manufacture and deploy drone technology in Africa.
It is envisaged that the technology will help redefine the way institutions collect and use data, including how aerial surveys and monitoring are done.
Scout Aerial Group is a diversified investment group that has businesses in remote sensing and remotely piloted aircraft systems (RPAS).
It has a core focus on global operations and manufacturing in Australia, the Asia-Pacific region and Africa.
With broad exposure on international markets, the group is spreading its tentacles in Africa to leverage on the growth opportunities presented by Africa as a frontier market.
It is anticipated that the strategic partnership between Boka and Scout Aerial Group will make drone technology more available across Africa.
Skyscape said in a statement last week that drones were essential in areas such as crop surveys, irrigation and production estimates. “This move comes at the right time, especially when the rest of the world is beginning to adopt drone technology for various purposes.
“These partnerships will help promote industry development, create local jobs and introduce new technologies to developing countries. With a strong operational focus on mining, security, agriculture and law enforcement, the companies are set to lead the way with their diverse range of capabilities.
“Boka has extensive expertise is agricultural systems where drone technology can be very vital is crop surveys, production estimates, and irrigation capacity surveys. Boka is also at an advanced stage of setting up a technology platform that will allow any piece of information to be mapped to a geographical location,” read part of the statement.
Experts also say drone technology can provide a very cost-effective way to monitor smuggling routes and poachers. In timber plantations, drone technology can be used to monitor fires, anticipated yields and theft. Drones are also used to apply chemicals and fertilisers to crops. Skyscape believes Zimbabwe can become an exporter of the technology to the region.
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