Drone display thrills Mshayisa learners

UAV Drone Solutions (UDS) and coal mining company, Thungela Resources have a long-standing agreement to support host communities and schools. Mshayisa Primary School in Leandra, was a recent beneficiary of the partnership, receiving a tuckshop, a greenhouse and seedlings, and calculators from the companies.

UDS is the largest drone company in South Africa, with more than 120 drones in operation. The company’s drone surveillance provides "eyes in the sky" to the security industry, offers security solutions across a vast range of sectors seeking protection for their infrastructure, and also conducts aerial surveillance for Thungela Resources, one of South Africa’s leading coal producers.

A small ceremony was held to hand over the greenhouse, tuckshop, seedlings and calculators. UDS brought drones to the ceremony and thrilled the school children with their flying capabilities. This display added excitement to the event and highlighted career opportunities in the industry —the children were amazed by the drones and some even started talking about considering a career as a drone pilot.

Thungela Resources has an academy to train those who aspire to become drone pilots to serve the security industry. This academy, a partnership with UDS, also provide opportunities for its trained drone pilots to be employed by the two companies. Ten local community members who have already completed the training programme are now employed by UDS.

Nomvula Sithole, ATO: Accountable Manager at UDS, talking to the children aspiring to become drone pilots, said: "Attention to detail, dedication and patience will take you there. It is a lot of information to capture in a short period of time and, for others, it can take them up to a year. But through our support, these kids will get all the resources needed to learn and grow in the industry."

Drones in search-and-rescue operations

In early April this year, a two-year-old girl went missing just outside Fochville in Gauteng. A search was launched in partnership with the South African Police Services, using drones and sniffer dogs for assistance. The wet conditions made the search difficult, but none of the team members gave up. Thirteen hours later, the drones located the girl, sleeping under a tree, safe and unharmed.

UDS has built an excellent relationship with the police and the community, and the company is regularly contacted for help with extraordinary incidents. When suspicious activity is detected through drones, security response teams are guided towards the situation, thanks to ever-improving drone technology.

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