エアロセンス is conducting field validation of remote mine monitoring using domestically produced fixed-wing VTOL drones in the Copperbelt region of the Republic of Zambia and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. A flight demonstration is planned for November 2026, along with the delivery of video footage to government agencies.
The field validation project conducted by エアロセンス was selected for a Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry grant under the FY2025 supplementary budget Global South-related small-scale demonstration and feasibility study program. The project covers the Copperbelt region of Zambia and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Its objective is to validate the effectiveness and commercial viability of remote monitoring using fixed-wing VTOL drones in order to improve the transparency and stability of the supply chain for critical minerals such as copper and cobalt.
The project will establish a system for collecting video data using high-resolution and infrared cameras and providing real-time video via LTE to government agencies in Lusaka, the capital. It will also collect terrain and environmental data using surveying sensors, LiDAR and multispectral cameras, and consider future applications in environmental monitoring and resource exploration.
To address security risks, the project is defining the requirements for an autonomous landing port that can be moved and deployed at any location, while continuing to consider full-scale commercialization. Results are scheduled to be presented at Africa Transport Forum 2026 in December 2026, with the aim of building networks with local government officials and private-sector companies and advancing commercialization.