Astral Aerial Solutions, an Astral Aviation affiliate has become Kenya’s first commercial drone operator by receiving RPAS Operator’s Certification (ROC) from the Kenya Civil Aviation Authority (KCAA).
Astral Aerial Solutions has been assessing the potential of operating cargo drones for the deployment of COVID-19 vaccines in Africa, with the company working alongside vaccine drone manufacturers and KCAA to that effect. This will also improve healthcare supply chains and create drone corridors in Africa.
Astral aviation expects more than 1.5 billion covid-19 vaccine doses over the next 2-3 years which can only vaccinate up to 60% of the population, according to Astral Aviation CEO Sanjeev Gandhia.
However, the process is faced with numerous and complicated challenges that involve storage requirements. Pfizer’s vaccine has to be transported at -70 degrees Celsius through a system of deep-freeze airport warehouses and then refrigerated in vehicles using dry ice and GPS temperature-monitoring devices, while AstraZeneca and Moderna’s can be transported at fridge temperatures.
Rwanda and Ghana have all embraced drone logistics flights for their national operations in the deployment of COVID-19 vaccines.
Astral Aviation is an established all-cargo airline with over 20 years of experience and operating within Africa. Astral Aerial Solutions offers drone services that provide a new dimension to logistics, aerial photography, aerial surveillance reconnaissance, inspections among other industries.
Photo: Urban Air Mobility news
The writer, Victor Shalton Odhiambo’s love for aviation can be traced back many years. He is a seasoned writer contributing to several renowned aviation publications with great insight and content.
