The DDG Alliance
Unlocking the full potential of drones in Africa.
Creating the jobs of tomorrow, today.
OUR MISSION
To create future-fit jobs that are driven by impactful and profitable African businesses through a systemic approach that levels the playing field for local entrepreneurs and
unlocks the full potential of drones
for good in Africa.
OUR AIM
To unlock the full potential of drones and complementary technologies to achieve the SDGs. We promote positive and self-sustaining impact by identifying and co-implementing systemic strategies that support the use of drone technology to achieve the SDGs more efficiently, effectively, and at scale.
To strengthen the capacity and capability of local actors to design, manufacture and apply drone technologies. Localisation is a central piece in ensuring drone enhanced services are self-sustaining, adapted and appropriate. We facilitate knowledge exchange and mutually beneficial collaboration to achieve this.
To create linkages in the ecosystem. Collaboration is at the core of our approach. We bring together a range of actors to work together in mutually beneficial ways that support the sustainable use of drones for good.
OUR GUIDING PRINCIPLES
LOCALIZED
We promote and enable local expertise and leadership in order to substantially scale the positive impact of drone technology in Africa.
SYSTEMIC
We apply a systems approach. We identify levers for change that have positive ripple effects and the potential to positively disrupt a system in ways that are self-sustaining and in line with our vision.
FUTURE-FIT
We encourage a future-fit approach and proactively move towards ensuring that drone technology brings us closer to the world we want to live in as described by the SDGs.
COLLABORATIVE
We strengthen existing partnerships and seek new allies with a common vision required to enable and accelerate systemic changes.
OUR TECHNOLOGY
THE SIMUKAI MULTIPURPOSE VTOL
A high performance, reliable and affordable multipurpose VTOL specifically designed for local manufacture and use in Africa.
Payload of 8 kg over 60 km distance or 2 kg over 230 km
WHAT EXPERTS SAY
"
The Simukai drone is uniquely built [….]. These features respond to critical needs and gaps in the African drone sector today. The flying properties of the drone are excellent. Simukai is easy to fly and able to withstand high wind speeds.
"
Michael Scheibenreif - ADDA Manager
"
A VTOL drone with high cargo capacities and interchangeable data collection payloads at the price point aimed for the Simukai drone would be a game-changer for the humanitarian world [….].
We are happy to express
our support for the initiative.
"
Patrick McKay - UAS Data Ops Manager
"
"
We want to see a scale-up of the transfer of skills from foreign operators to local teams. More Malawians should be able to fly the drones and to maintain the drones. At the end of the day, when those who came here to help leave, we should be able to take over.
Rumbani Sidira - Ministry of Health Malawi
OUR STORY
The Drones Doing Good Alliance was born out of Endeva’s collaborative systems change co-creation process called ii2030 (inclusive innovation 2030). Various stakeholders were brought together to co-create a solution around delivering products and services in remote areas in Sub-Saharan Africa using a drone network. Localization of drone technology was identified as a key lever for systemic change in scaling the widespread use of drone technology to achieve the SDGs. As a result of the event, participants of the track created the Drones Doing Good (DDG) Alliance, whose mission was to bring partners together to achieve this. The first project was on the use of drones to deliver critical healthcare products. The project enabled the health tech and logistics company LifeBank, to be the first African-led company to execute bi-directional BVLOS (Beyond Visual Line of Sight) flights for healthcare logistics. From there onward, Endeva and Geo-Technic as founding members of the DDG Alliance have led several other initiatives to scale the impactful use of drones through systems change. The Alliance has now been spun out of Endeva and is an independent not-for-profit organisation.
FOUNDERS
Tendai Pasipanodya
Tendai Pasipanodya is an expert in systems with a track record in developing partnerships that create jobs in Africa. As the head of a regional multi-country initiative of the ILO, World Bank and UN, Tendai oversaw the design and implementation of an award-winning initiative that enabled the establishment of over 120 MSMEs that created 1200 jobs in West Africa.
Dr. Hans-Peter Thamm
Dr. Hans-Peter Thamm is a leader and pioneer in the civil drone sector. Formerly a tenured professor he left academia to create a company (now Germandrones) that successfully sold one of the first VTOL drones in the world. HP has 35 years experience in remote sensing and close to 20 years experience operating and manufacturing drones in Africa, Europe and Asia.
PROJECTS
THE DRONE
BUSINESS BOOSTER
PHASE 1 | KENYA
The Drone Business Booster works towards increasing the power, possibilities and capabilities of local actors across the drone value chain in order to unlock self-sustaining impact and create thousands of future-fit jobs in African countries
The aim of Phase 1 is to measure and quantify in what ways and by how much the Business Booster initiative can enhance businesses and prepare the ground for the next phase of implementation.
WAKANDA BEYOND
PEER ACTION GROUP
The Wakanda Beyond UAV Peer Action Group is a network of nine African CAAs and Ministries that are committed to exploring solutions to increase safety and security through a holistic and locally adapted approach. The group is proactively testing solutions, sharing findings and adopting and adapting best practices. The initiative is made possible through funding and co-implementation support from UKAID, Frontier Tech Hub and Smart Africa.
WHAT'S ETHICS
GOT TO DO WITH IT?
PUBLICATION
Africa is showing great promise in drone-enabled medical deliveries. In some countries, drone regulations are supporting the expanded use of drones, but what’s ethics got to do with it? How can we increase safety and security while expanding the use of drones for good in health?
The latest report from the Drones Doing Good Alliance has some compelling answers and concrete recommendations.
SYSTEMS CHANGE
CO-CREATION Pt2
PUBLICATION
DDG partnered with Endeva’s ii2030 co-creative process for a second round of collaborative system change work. The aim was to co-create a solution to make Africa the safest place to easily fly drones. A high-level concept was developed for Wakanda Beyond, a process that aimed to accelerate the evolution of regionally aligned, fit-for-purpose drone regulations and regulatory approval processes that are collaboratively created and enhanced by technology.
DRONE PROFESSIONAL 3
PUBLICATION
Wakanda Beyond is the result of a co-creative process that brought together a highly experienced and richly diverse group of participants. The aim was to co-create a solution to make Africa the safest place to fly easily fly drones. Wakanda Beyond seeks to accelerate the evolution of regionally aligned, fit-for-purpose drone regulations and regulatory approval processes that
LOCALIZING DRONE OPERATIONS
PROOF OF CONCEPT
The DDG Alliance in partnership Airbus, Merck, UKAID, Lifebank, Geotechnic and Endeva developed and led an initiative to understand the opportunities and challenges in supporting local logistics companies like, Lifebank, to integrate drone solutions into their operations.
The comprehensive proof of concept was rich with learnings. One was that existing VTOL drone options are too expensive, lack reasonable repair and maintenance options and are not well adapted to local needs and realities. This finding gave birth to our initiative Manufactured in Africa.
WHEN TO USE DRONES IN GOOD HEALTH
PUBLICATION
To maximize impact, saves more lives and ensures value for money it is critical to know when to use drones over other transport options. For the above-mentioned proof of concept, we conducted an in-depth market research on VTOL drones, tested 3 models at the Airbus Drone Testing Center, and conducted field research in Ethiopia and Nigeria and field tests in Ethiopia. Based on the learnings we developed a publication that explored in which cases and under what conditions it makes sense to deliver critical medical products with a drone.
LOCALIZING DRONE OPERATIONS
TRAINING
In partnership with the Smart Africa Digital Academy (SADA), the Alliance hosted a capacity building workshop that brough together Civil Aviation Authorities and ICT Ministries from 23 African countries.
The workshop provided an overview of the state of the drone sector in Africa. Speakers demonstrated how to drastically increase cost-effectiveness and support the localization of technology. The workshop highlighted the need for smart, safe and supportive regulation and drew lessons from the Swiss government on how to develop supportive regulations that are adapted to a country’s needs.
PARTNERS AND DONORS
Our ambitions can only be achieved through strong collaboration and meaningful partnerships. Here are some of the partners we previously collaborated with.
JOIN OUR ALLIANCE
We are a registered not for profit with a range of opportunities to contribute to our movement to scale self-sustaining impact in the African drone sector.
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