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, as we speak introduced a strategic partnership with Shearwater Aerospace to considerably broaden entry to life-saving medicines in distant communities throughout the nation. The collaboration addresses vital 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% on account of climate—making it troublesome to make sure secure and constant service.
AerialMetric has constructed considered one of sub-Saharan Africa’s most lively 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 services. In 2024 alone, practically 3,000 long-range missions had been accomplished, many exceeding 200 kilometers. These operations happened in a few 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 determine 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 information and superior security protocols — offering aviation authorities with the strong proof wanted to confidently authorize BVLOS operations.
With these corridors in place, Good Flight™ supplies real-time flight danger mitigation for each medical mission. Earlier than takeoff, it verifies that dwell climate and vitality circumstances are inside plane efficiency and regulatory limits—giving operators a transparent go/no-go choice. In flight, the system repeatedly screens evolving climate and vitality use, enabling crews to confidently proceed, reroute, or return to base when circumstances develop into too dangerous. This ensures each flight stays inside permitted corridors, avoids populated areas, and safely delivers vital medical provides.
“The combination of Shearwater’s expertise instantly addresses a few of our most urgent operational challenges,” mentioned Pierre-Loup Lesage, CEO of AerialMetric. “Handbook BVLOS planning is more and more time-consuming and sometimes results in extremely variable route efficiency—with flights that succeed at some point however are grounded the subsequent. By embedding real-time climate evaluation and vitality forecasting instantly into our flight planning, Good Flight™ permits us to ship extra persistently, scale with higher confidence, and strengthen regulatory belief as we broaden our life-saving logistics community throughout Africa.”
The improved operational capabilities can have direct affect on medical provide supply to distant communities throughout Madagascar. “Dependable drone deliveries are vital for our means to serve folks in distant areas,” mentioned Ny Manda Andrianjatovo, Operations High quality Lead at AerialMetric. “When climate circumstances have an effect on supply schedules, it might probably imply the distinction between having important medicines accessible or not.”
The collaboration additionally positions each firms to assist AerialMetric’s deliberate enlargement 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 supplies cutting-edge logistical options to assist healthcare, humanitarian support, 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 typically, and with full confidence. Its flagship platform, Good Flight™, plans optimum BVLOS flights and supplies 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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