The African Drone and Data Academy (ADDA) has won the Association for Unmanned Vehicles Systems International’s humanitarian and public safety award. In less than two years, the Malawi-based ADDA has produced 300 graduates from across Africa to pursue a variety of careers in business and public service based on drone tech.
The ADDA was founded in 2020 in a partnership between the United Nations Children’s Fund and Virginia Tech’s Center for International Research, Education, and Development, which manages the program. Its mission is as clear as it has been effective. The school provides youths from across Africa drone, data, and entrepreneurship knowledge and skills applicable to the continent’s development needs. Over a 10-week course period, students are taught how to build, test, and fly drones, and learn how to analyze imagery and data collected by the craft for various uses. Major areas of application include health, agriculture, and environmental…
