AI-powered flight planning and dynamic danger mitigation will enhance reliability and attain for BVLOS missions—laying the muse for scalable, drone-enabled healthcare throughout Africa.
AerialMetric, Madagascar’s main medical drone supply operator, at the moment introduced a strategic partnership with Shearwater Aerospace to considerably develop entry to life-saving medicines in distant communities throughout the nation. The collaboration addresses crucial challenges in past visible line-of-sight (BVLOS) operations, the place the vitality required to fly a route can differ by as much as 30% attributable to climate—making it tough to make sure secure and constant service.
AerialMetric has constructed certainly one of sub-Saharan Africa’s most energetic medical drone supply networks. Since 2020, the corporate has accomplished over 10,000 flights, delivering greater than 10 tonnes of important medical provides to over 1,000 well being amenities. In 2024 alone, almost 3,000 long-range missions had been accomplished, many exceeding 200 kilometers. These operations passed off in a number of the world’s most demanding circumstances, together with wind speeds as much as 13 m/s, heavy rainfall, excessive warmth, and mountainous terrain at altitudes reaching 1,700 meters.
Collectively, the 2 firms are enabling AerialMetric to ascertain year-round, regulator-approved medical supply corridors that keep away from populated areas. Powered by Shearwater’s patented Good Flight™ autonomy platform, these routes are optimized utilizing complete regional climate knowledge and superior security protocols — offering aviation authorities with the strong proof wanted to confidently authorize BVLOS operations.
With these corridors in place, Good Flight™ gives real-time flight danger mitigation for each medical mission. Earlier than takeoff, it verifies that reside climate and vitality circumstances are inside plane efficiency and regulatory limits—giving operators a transparent go/no-go resolution. In flight, the system constantly screens evolving climate and vitality use, enabling crews to confidently proceed, reroute, or return to base when circumstances turn out to be too dangerous. This ensures each flight stays inside permitted corridors, avoids populated areas, and safely delivers crucial medical provides.
“The combination of Shearwater’s know-how straight addresses a few of our most urgent operational challenges,” stated Pierre-Loup Lesage, CEO of AerialMetric. “Guide BVLOS planning is more and more time-consuming and infrequently results in extremely variable route efficiency—with flights that succeed at some point however are grounded the following. By embedding real-time climate evaluation and vitality forecasting straight into our flight planning, Good Flight™ permits us to ship extra constantly, scale with larger confidence, and strengthen regulatory belief as we develop our life-saving logistics community throughout Africa.”
The improved operational capabilities could have direct impression on medical provide supply to distant communities throughout Madagascar. “Dependable drone deliveries are crucial for our capability to serve folks in distant areas,” stated Ny Manda Andrianjatovo, Operations High quality Lead at AerialMetric. “When climate circumstances have an effect on supply schedules, it will possibly imply the distinction between having important medicines obtainable or not.”
The collaboration additionally positions each firms to help AerialMetric’s deliberate growth into the Democratic Republic of Congo, the place equally difficult terrain and climate circumstances demand superior flight planning capabilities. By establishing confirmed operational requirements in Madagascar, the partnership creates a replicable mannequin for scaling drone-enabled healthcare logistics—providing a roadmap for governments, NGOs, and companions throughout rising markets.
About AerialMetric
AerialMetric is a pioneer in long-range drone operations, specializing within the design, manufacturing, and deployment of VTOL UAVs for cargo supply and surveillance. Primarily based in Madagascar, the corporate gives cutting-edge logistical options to help healthcare, humanitarian assist, and emergency response throughout Africa. www.aerialmetric.com
About Shearwater Aerospace
Shearwater Aerospace develops state-of-the-art AI-powered software program to boost drone operations, enabling operators to fly farther, extra usually, and with full confidence. Its flagship platform, Good Flight™, plans optimum BVLOS flights and gives dynamic danger mitigation by accounting for climate, terrain, flight restrictions, plane efficiency, and extra. The system is trusted by main companions together with Lockheed Martin Canada. www.shearwater.ai
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