Having taken on the onerous task of being the first drone logistics partner and supplier of choice in Southern Africa, Zimbabwean drone solutions provider Drone Solutions Zimbabwe seems to have hit the ground running with medical delivery by drone operations already under way in Mozambique and the DRC.
In Mozambique, Drone Solutions Zimbabwe has taken over the Drones for Health Programme that used to be run by healthcare non-profit organisation VillageReach; it has kept the drone delivery operations open, ensuring that the transportation of medical supplies to remote communities by the health ministries remains fast.
The company held a demonstration in Zimbabwe recently, where it’s drone partner, Kite Aero, successfully completed what so far is officially Zimbabwe’s first ever delivery to be made by a drone.
“Recently, Drone Solutions executed a landmark demonstration for the country's healthcare and supply chain sectors,” the company said in a statement.
“We didn't just fly a drone—we flew Zimbabwe into the future by successfully completing the country's first-ever long-distance drone delivery flight.
“Covering kilometres of airspace from the Drone Solutions Training Institute Flight School in Blueridge straight to Murewa Hospital, this medical delivery demonstration showcased exactly what enterprise UAV technology is capable of.”
The distance between the training institute and the hospital is about 90km, and usually takes over an hour to travel by road.
The Kite Aero travelled 110km and cut that time by half.
“As a proof of concept, the flight served as undeniable proof that turning the sky into a high-speed, frictionless highway for critical medical supplies is not just a future goal—it is a present reality.”
Drone Solutions Zimbabwe said it was thankful for the help of the Civil Aviation Authority of Zimbabwe (CAAZ), which help set the aviation regulatory conditions under which the test flights took place.
“Mastering this technology requires continuous learning and strict adherence to aviation standards,” the company said.
“Operating at this level underscores the necessity of CAAZ-approved training for Beyond Visual Line of Sight (BVLOS). Safe, commercial drone integration relies heavily on certified pilots and proper regulatory frameworks. Partnering with innovators like Kite Aero for this demonstration proves that strategic collaboration is key to scaling these operations.”
Longterm, the company has ambitions of making even longer flights between cities and towns, which explains why its founders – Managing Director, Jeremiah Musabayana and finance director Primrose Musabayana – were at the Windracers offices in the United Kingdom on an exploratory visit.
UK manufacturer, Windracers are the manufacturers of the Windracers ULTRA, a dual-use heavy-lift, long-range cargo drone that operates where smaller platforms fall short – in hostile weather, remote terrain and disrupted environments.
This is aircraft has a flight range of 2,000km, is capable of carrying cargo worth 150kg for a maximum take-off weight of 450kg.
“Primrose and I recently visited Windracers in Southampton to understand the potential of autonomous heavy-lift aviation for Africa’s logistics needs,” Jeremiah said.
“This visit complements the excellent progress Drone Solutions International is already making with KITEAERO, which remains central to our last-mile delivery strategy.
“With our footprint spanning Zimbabwe, South Africa, Malawi, Mozambique and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, we are working towards an integrated logistics network capable of moving essential cargo farther, faster and more reliably.”
The company also made sure its presence was felt at last week’s agricultural show in Harare, where it explained the concept of drone technology to several visitors at its pavilion, who included Beula Chirume, the country’s Permanent Secretary for the Ministry of ICT.
“We had a fantastic discussion about how autonomous drone delivery and platforms like the KiteAero are contributing to Zimbabwe's digital transformation.
“Having leadership recognise the potential of UAV technology in solving real-world logistical challenges is a massive win for the industry.”