The Department of Science and Innovation (DSI) and its entity, the Technology Innovation Agency (TIA), will hand over a drone to Zamisa Holdings, a KwaZulu-Natal-based small business.
The Spatial Monitoring Project, initiated by the DSI and the TIA, is a multi-year pilot project which aims to support the KwaZulu-Natal Department of Human Settlements (KZN DHS) with the surveillance of urban expansion and land occupation using unmanned aircraft.
The project was conceptualised and implemented by the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) to demonstrate state-of-the-art drone technology with the potential to achieve some of the government’s broad development objectives in the fourth industrial revolution.
The project’s objectives were to establish a viable and fully inclusive small, medium and micro-enterprise partnership model to provide said aerial services to departments with similar (urban) requirements, as well as applicable aviation policy recommendations.
The project resulted in the acquisition of a suitable, commercial-grade, remotely piloted aircraft system (RPAS); the identification and recruitment of a suitable local enterprise, Zamisa Holdings; the preparation of a business case for Zamisa; and four new licensed remote pilots. The pilots are two local unemployed students, recruited by Zamisa, and two are nominated KZN DHS staff members.
The efficient transformation of the rich data acquisitions by the RPAS over several prioritised target areas in KZN produced valuable spatial information and enabled management reporting. In addition, a draft Policy Brief for the KZN DHS: “Applying Unmanned Aircraft in Surveillance Applications” was produced (for discussion), which included a set of practical policy guidelines aimed at protecting the unmanned aircraft against accidental destruction.
The handover ceremony will take place in Pretoria during the 8th CSIR Biennial Conference. The conference provides an opportunity for scientists, academia, local and international business leaders, and members of the public to unpack how research, development and innovation can be harnessed to build a robust South African economy.
The media are invited to attend as follows:
Date: Thursday, 3 November 2022
Venue: CSIR International Convention Centre, Onyx room
Time: 13:30 – 14:30
To RSVP or for enquiries, please contact:
Vusi Langa at vusi.langa@tia.org.za or 073 766 0200
Chumisa Ndlazi at CNdlazi@csir.co.za or 084 045 8480
Zama Mthethwa at zama.mthethwa@dst.gov.za 082 808 3956
Jointly issued by the Department of Science and Innovation, Technology Innovation Agency and Council for Scientific and Industrial Research
