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Open opportunities for women in the drone industry as Drone Divas continue on their journey

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The commercial drone industry is booming, with significant adoption across various sectors. While mining leads in drone usage for security and stockpile surveillance, drones are also gaining ground in medical deliveries, film, entertainment and precision farming. Inhlanyelo Hub’s women drone pilots, Beyond Visual Line of Sight qualified, recently completed a five-day bootcamp to develop a minimum viable product, enhancing their skills.

From%20left:%20Bongeka%20Boyana%20(UCDP%20Administrator),%20Nozipho%20Nale,%20Nontobeko%20Mngwenya,%20Happiness%20Godora,%20Prof%20Annemarie%20Davis%20(Project%20Leader),%20Masana%20Mtileni,%20and%20Lerato%20Sekano

From left: Bongeka Boyana (UCDP Administrator), Nozipho Nale, Nontobeko Mngwenya, Happiness Godora, Prof Annemarie Davis (Project Leader), Masana Mtileni and Lerato Sekano

The Advanced Drone Diva Programme offers specialised training for operating unmanned aerial vehicles beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS). This advanced training enables pilots to manage flights without maintaining direct, unaided visual contact with their drones, ensuring they can handle separation and collision avoidance responsibilities effectively. The entire first cohort of women drone pilots who enrolled in the advanced training successfully achieved BVLOS certification. "The 100% pass rate for the BVLOS makes us very proud and shows that this group of women drone pilots are serious about making their mark in the drone industry," says Prof Annemarie Davis, Project Leader for the Inhlanyelo Hub Drone Diva Programme.

After the BVLOS practical tests, the group of drone pilots participated in a bootcamp. This week-long event was designed to empower these trailblazing women by equipping them with the skills and knowledge to turn their drone licenses into thriving entrepreneurial ventures.

Organised by the Inhlanyelo Hub, the bootcamp is an extension of the support provided through the Inhlanyelo Hub Drone Divas Programme. It aims to go beyond helping the participants earn their aviation drone licenses by also providing them with practical business tools to succeed in the competitive business world.

Phumele Mokoena, the Business Incubation and Enterprise Development Manager, facilitated the sessions. He guided the pilots in organising their business ideas using the Business Model Canvas approach. This method helps entrepreneurs define their value propositions, identify customer segments, determine the channels to reach these customers, and outline key business activities. These elements are crucial for attracting the right partners and investors.

By the end of the bootcamp, all five participants had developed robust business ideas poised to make a significant impact in the entrepreneurial space.

  1. Masana Mtileni: AcueView - Specialising in pollution emissions measurement, monitoring, and reporting using drones and sensors, AcueView provides real-time air quality readings, particularly in mining and heavy industrial areas.
  2. Lerato Sekano: Atosphere - Atosphere is a drone industry consulting firm that assists companies in integrating drones and drone technology to enhance operational efficiency.
  3. Happiness Godora: EduDrone Sports - EduDrone Sports leverages drone racing festivals at schools to educate children about drones and drone technology, while also serving as a testing ground for drone hardware within the industry.
  4. Nontobeko Mngwenya: Earlytech development - Nontobeko's venture aims to make early childhood education more engaging through the use of drones, drone characters, drone stories, songs, and drone-based teaching aids.
  5. Nozipho Nale: High-Tech Security Services - Nozipho's business plans to employ drones equipped with thermal cameras to offer high-tech security services for large and hard-to-secure areas.

Tasked with homework and dedicated sessions with business mentors, these drone pilots are getting ready to launch their ideas. They are set to revolutionise the drone industry and the entrepreneurial landscape with their innovative ideas and newly acquired skills.

The Advanced Drone Diva Programme is funded through strategic project funds within the Inhlanyelo Hub NPC.

For more information on Inhlanyelo Hub and its programmes, visit https://inhlanyelohub.com/en/

* Submitted by Inhlanyelo Hub

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Publish date: 2024/07/25

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