Southern Africa has welcomed yet another franchise into the Flying Labs family, and this time it is Malawi that has entered the chat.

And we think it is way past due time too: Malawi, alongside only Rwanda and South Africa has been one of the early pacesetters in commercial drone operations.

Because it is home to UNICEF’s Africa Drone and Data Academy, as well as one of the biggest drone corridors in the world, Malawi has been a playground for many an upcoming drone project, including Jedsy and Swoop Aero (which went into administration in 2024 and got resurrected as Kite Aero).

Besides, German drone logistics and services provider still runs medical drone delivery operations in several parts of the country.

Perhaps the reason why there has not been a Flying Labs in the country until now was that most of the drone projects active at the moment are run with international partners on a government level: Flying works on exactly the opposite principles. It needs a locally led enterprise that would be the spearhead of a home-based approach to finding solutions for local problems.

Still, this will be something of a unique one, as the local entity that has been accepted as the latest inductee into the Flying Labs family is the Malawi Red Cross Society.

At its helm is Wonderful Kunje, alongside Simon Tembo and Fungai Kanjodo, who all bring extensive experience in the use of emerging technologies for social good. 

“While drone technology has demonstrated significant value in several sectors in Malawi, many projects have largely operated in isolation, with limited opportunity for collaboration, resource sharing, or coordinated action,” the new baby said in a statement.

“Recognising the need to unify the local drone ecosystem, the Malawi Red Cross Society is pleased to join the Flying Labs Network as the host organisation for Malawi Flying Labs to promote collaboration, maximise impact, and support the effective application of drone technology across humanitarian, climate, and development initiatives.”

Perhaps the Red Cross being the custodian is a right fit, seeing as Malawi has suffered from cyclone-induced disaster of late, a reality that has had the non-governmental organisation leading recovery efforts.

Running a drone and robotics-based wing would help the organisation inspire innovation, strengthen local capacity, and encourage greater investment in the growth of Malawi’s drone ecosystem.

“At the local level, Malawi Flying Labs will:

• Build drone skills and capacity among operators, humanitarian actors, and youth.
• Conduct drone mapping, risk assessments, and data collection in local communities to support disaster preparedness and rapid response.
• Serve as a hub for collaboration among local drone stakeholders, creating opportunities to share resources, exchange best practices, and showcase innovations that can benefit communities throughout Malawi.
  
  

Going forward, the new Flying Labs said it was hoping to establish a coordinated drone ecosystem across Malawi that connects both the private and public sector; use drones and data-driven insights to inform policy, disaster management, climate monitoring, and multi-sector development initiatives.

It also looks to develop a national platform for drone innovation to centralise data, facilitate knowledge exchange, and maximize impact across humanitarian, climate, and development sectors.

“The team brings valuable experience from previous drone-enabled humanitarian initiatives. In 2023, they supported search and rescue operations during Cyclone Freddy through the use of drones and data-driven mapping.

“During the same year, they also conducted rapid damage assessments that helped inform humanitarian response efforts and guide the allocation of critical resources.”

As a first order of business, the franchise plans to map Malawi’s drone stakeholders to better understand the ecosystem and create opportunities for collaboration, knowledge sharing, and growth.

It also aims to collect baseline data in flood-prone areas across the country to strengthen disaster preparedness efforts and support more risk-informed planning.

“By bringing together stakeholders and strengthening local expertise, Malawi Flying Labs looks forward to contributing to a more connected and impactful drone ecosystem in Malawi.”

Malawi’s latest co-optation into the Flying Labs network takes the total number of Flying Labs in Southern Africa alone to eight, making it the biggest African region to host Flying Labs.

And just as the family was welcoming Malawi, it was also bidding farewell to its Nigerian custodian, which said it was pulling out to set out on a new solo chapter.

“We are deeply grateful for everything Nigeria Flying Labs has contributed during its time in the Network, including the many ways the team collaborated with and shared knowledge across the broader Flying Labs community,” Flying Labs said.

“As the team moves towards new opportunities, we wish them continued success.

“In light of this change, the license for Nigeria Flying Labs is now available. We encourage organisations and companies in Nigeria that are interested in joining the Flying Labs Network to learn more about the Network and its membership requirements and thereafter submit their applications.”