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E&M Magazine: Mozambique on the Drone Production Map

E&M Magazine: Mozambique on the Drone Production Map

Some Mozambicans have made their mark in the world of innovation and there are already drones with a national label. Among other uses, they will help mitigate the impact of cyclical natural disasters.

His name is Cleiton Michaque, he’s only 17 and lives in Maputo. His vision and technical expertise led him to create the first drones entirely developed in Mozambique, with the aim of helping the authorities in emergency scenarios. The project offers a new tool for rapid and effective response to disasters, contributing to the protection of vulnerable communities.

Mozambique’s first drone
Cleiton Michaque should be the first Mozambican to develop drones, a story that began four years ago when the young inventor was just 13 and decided to start creating his own devices. He discovered that it was possible to put components together and develop drones, giving wings to a passion that has already translated into seven flying devices of his own.

After Cyclones Idai and Kenneth, in 2019, AI and drones were officially used for the first time in the country’ in an emergency by the World Food Programme (WFP)

Capable of reaching up to 240 kilometres per hour, 300 metres in altitude and weighing 250 grams, these devices are systems connected to radio controls. Initially, Cleiton used recycled cardboard or wood, but he started looking for more resistant materials. He decided to test carbon fibre, which guarantees greater robustness and less noise.

‘I’ve tried different materials, including wood, styrofoam and carbon fibre. Wood produces a lot of vibration. Styrofoam is lighter, but doesn’t offer the same durability. Carbon fibre, on the other hand, stood out as an excellent choice because it’s a more resistant material and at the same time very light. The combination makes the drone almost indestructible, without excessive weight,’ the young inventor explained to E&M.

(Very short) production time

One hour is enough time to assemble a complete drone. ‘It only takes me 45 minutes to assemble and a few minutes more for programming and testing, which in total doesn’t exceed an hour. In the beginning, it could take several days,’ but experience has led to evolution.

Cleiton also intends to set up a school to show other Mozambicans how to create and pilot these devices. More than that, he wants to create a drone club, which will function as a sports centre to hold competitions.

Drones in Mozambique

In recent years, there has been an increase in the use of drones in various applications. The technology has already brought benefits to the country, from improved agricultural yields to infrastructure development. For example, after cyclones Idai and Kenneth in 2019, Artificial Intelligence (AI) and drones were officially used in a humanitarian emergency scenario by the World Food Programme (WFP).

Thousands of images were collected and assembled, like a blanket of maps, rich in data, presenting the information the government and humanitarian aid organisations needed to make critical decisions: where and how to deliver aid in the most affected regions, particularly in the centre and north of the country.

A growing area

According to the American consultancy firm Gartner, five million autonomous flight devices are expected to be sold each year by 2025, generating a turnover of around 15.2 billion dollars a year.

See Also

‘It only takes me 45 minutes to assemble a drone and a few minutes more for programming and testing, which in total doesn’t exceed an hour’

DJI Agriculture, a division of the world’s dominant drone brand, provides intelligent solutions and equipment for agriculture, with the aim of improving the sector’s efficiency and performance. In its latest report on the market, it indicated that more than 300,000 drones operate globally on more than 500 million hectares of farmland. One of the report’s main conclusions is that the rapid adoption of agricultural drones around the world is proof of the transformative power of emerging technologies in agriculture.

The implementation of agricultural drones has significantly reduced carbon emissions (by around 25.72 million tonnes). This reduction is equivalent to the carbon sequestration provided by 1.2 billion trees, said the report.

Ana Magana

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