Polish drone maker Farada Group has obtained regulatory approvals from the Kenya Civil Aviation Authority (KCAA) to establish a drone manufacturing plant at the Konza Technopolis, which will serve as its supply port for the African market.
The firm makes Unmanned Aerial Spacecraft (UAS) used for surveillance of wildlife, power lines, monitoring of disasters such as floods and wildfires as well as delivery of essential goods such as medical supplies.
“We intend to take up a parcel of land here at Konza Technopolis to establish a drone manufacturing company for Kenya and the whole of Africa,” said Farada Group chairman Adam Cudny.
“We have all the necessary approvals and we have established a local company to implement the project,” he added without disclosing the value of the planned investment.
Authorities at Konza say the smart city has a designated zone for the assembly and operations of drones.
Among targeted clients in the local market include Kenya Power, and the Kenya Electricity Transmission Company Limited for surveillance of their power lines, county governments for medical supplies, as well as logistical companies for delivery of goods. The drones can carry up to one-tonne weight of goods.
During his State visit to Kenya in February this year, Poland President Andrzej Duda and Farada Group offered to donate a drone to the Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) to aid in the surveillance of its national parks.
“We have kept our promise and delivered to KWS the drone that we committed to when we accompanied our President during his state visit to Kenya,” affirmed Farada Group chief operating officer Joanna Rutkowski.
The move by Farada comes just months after European aerospace giant Airbus disclosed in December last year plans to make Kenya the base of its first earth station for high-altitude communication drones in an investment that was touted as an opening for a potential up to 1,000 jobs for locals.
