The drone pilot

Practising international networking: we present individuals who symbolise Germany’s partnerships around the world. Global challenges can only be overcome by working together.

Technology can save lives. In Malawi, drones are used to transport medical drugs as quickly as possible to where they happen to be needed. Agness Rosemary Mmina is one of the pilots. “The medical items we deliver include painkillers, medication to stop bleeding after childbirth, vaccines and malaria drugs,” is how she describes her role.

Agness was trained at the African Drone and Data Academy (ADDA). The ADDA in Malawi was set up by the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) on behalf of the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development and the EU. GIZ also cooperated on the project with the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), which runs the academy. The ADDA supports young women in particular, helping them to gain a foothold in the employment market. Agness trained as a pilot in 2022 and now works for the German drone company Wingcopter. 

The drones also collect weather and climate data

The use of drones in Malawi is not only helping to improve supply chains in rural areas. During their flights, the drones also collect data that Agness analyses at the academy. This data is useful for Malawi’s agricultural development. It shows for example whether the weather situation is currently conducive to sowing crops. At the same time, the data reveals how the climate in Malawi is changing. “This cooperation has benefited the local communities a lot,” says Agness.