The Western Cape is poised to be a hotbed of innovation in the agritech sector, with drone piloting set to playing a major role in in the tech start-up scene.
This is the view of Tim Willis, chief operating officer of pioneering drone company Aerobotics, a Cape Town drone company recognised as a world leader in agritech.
“Drone piloting is a key skill that feeds into the value chain of the budding 4th Industrial Revolution,” said Willis. “Cape Town and the Western Cape is uniquely positioned to be the melting pot for innovation in the sector, as a leading agricultural exporter and a hub for creative tech start-ups.”
He was speaking at AeroCon, a drone expo by and held in Johannesburg this week aimed at providing opportunities for drone pilots to apply their skills in South Africa, and to show how drones are being used to collect data on crops.
The event was supported by the South African Civil Aviation Authority (SACAA), Wesgro, , MicaSense, and Rectron, among .
“We’re starting to sign up farmers across the country,” said Willis. “It’s exciting because farmers are starting to use drone technology on their farms. When a farmer wants a drone flown, they want it flown [now] so it’s important for us to capture that data as quickly as possible to show that drones are fast and effective.”
According to , drone technology can help farmers reduce pesticide use on their crops by up to 30%. The result is environmentally friendly farming, reducing stressed crops and a healthier harvest.
“We use aerial imagery from drones to recreate a 3D model of every single tree on a farmer’s orchard,” said Willis. “We’ve done this for millions of trees and it starts to give the farmers metrics of what they’re doing. We provide them with the health of the trees, the height, the volume, the canopy area, which enable the farms to make decisions on what to do next.”
Click here to read more about AeroCon and what it offers to those wanting to get into the drone industry.
AeroCon was an intimate “one-stop-shop” for enthusiasts wanting to build their own drone piloting business and featured a range of stalls that aimed at helping aspiring drone pilots navigate the necessary licensing and certification requirements.
The expo merges commercial interests into an accessible space where drone enthusiasts could get a vast amount of information on drones.
“AeroCon is a way for to be a driving force for good in the communities where we have a presence,” said Willis. “By providing regions around South Africa with an event and a platform to become a drone pilot, we are working to create jobs, grow South African expertise in a fast-growing, global industry and help farmers get access to a larger network of local drone pilots.”
has worked with partners in the drone industry to bring AeroCon to five different cities around South Africa. Partners include flight training schools, drone hardware suppliers, insurance providers, asset financing providers, among others.
AeroCon is still the country, making another stop in Port Elizabeth on 20 February and in Durban on 21 February. Those interested in attending AeroCon in Port Elizabeth or Durban can register for free on the website.