By 2050 the global market for non-military drones is expected to have transformed how goods and people move across cities and rural landscapes.
In South Africa, where road access remains limited in many regions and urban congestion chokes daily logistics, drones present an opportunity to leapfrog legacy infrastructure and reimagine mobility from the sky down in both scenarios.
Today we use motorcycles and bakkies for last-mile deliveries. Tomorrow drones will take over many of these roles, especially where road infrastructure is poor or congested. Instead of focusing on a drone’s weight, modern regulations consider the risk to people on the ground. South Africa made headlines in 2015 when it became one of the first countries to regulate non-military drones, enacting the eighth amendment to the civil aviation regulations. This made South Africa a leader in comprehensive drone law.
