Astral teams up with Drone Delivery Canada to target Kenya market
29 / 09 / 2020
Photo: Drone Delivery Canada
Drone Delivery Canada (DDC) and Africa-based freighter operator Astral Aviation’s drone division are teaming up to potentially launch drone operations in Kenya.
DDC, via its sales agent Air Canada, signed a Letter of Intent (LoI) with Astral Aerial Solutions that will see them co-operate and work jointly with the Kenya Civil Aviation Authority to identify and analyze market opportunities in Kenya for DDC’s drone delivery solution with the intent to work towards a definitive agreement for that market.
DDC president and chief executive Michael Zahra said: “As our first international opportunity, we are pleased to be working with Astral Aerial towards an agreement for DDC’s drone logistics solution in Kenya.
“There are numerous potential applications from traditional last-mile cargo to mining, oil and gas, healthcare, humanitarian aid and infrastructure inspection services.”
Sanjeev Gadhia, chief executive of Astral Aerial Solutions and Astral Aviation, added: “We are honored to co-operate with Drone Delivery Canada, and to learn from their experience in providing innovative drone-based logistics platforms in Canada that can be applied in Africa. The Canadian technology can benefit various sectors in Africa especially in Healthcare and accessibility to remote communities.”
Astral has long displayed an interest in the drone market, seeing it as a way of reaching remote communities in Africa where overland infrastructure is limited.