DRONE TV AFRICA

By Taropafadzwa Mutizwa | Drone TV Africa The energy inside the Drone & Unmanned Conference 2026 was impossible to ignore from the moment I walked into the venue. Drone TV Africa had the opportunity to cover and exhibit at the event, and the conference hall was already buzzing with conversations among some of South Africa's leading drone pioneers including Bertus van Zyl of Sky Robots, Darryl Epstein of Delta Scan, Amit Ramdath of AutonoSky, Hanno Lombard from RocketDNA, Shaun Ledlie from the Drone Council South Africa and many others actively shaping the future of Africa's low altitude economy.

As I was setting up my camera equipment, I spotted Kim James, Director of Aerial Works. We exchanged greetings and, as always, she was vibrant, energetic and welcoming. Shortly afterwards she took to the stage to deliver the opening keynote address titled Drone technology and the low altitude economy in Africa.

As an analytical writer, I have always believed that opening keynote addresses determine the mood and direction of an entire conference. Kim James did more than set the tone, she ignited it.

Known by many internationally as "The Drone Chick", Kim is one of Africa's most respected drone industry leaders. Having previously visited the state-of-the-art Aerial Works facility and witnessed the production hub of their flagship SRV22E Fixed Wing VTOL UAV, I knew the audience was about to hear from someone speaking from experience rather than theory.

What followed was arguably one of the strongest keynote presentations I have experienced in the drone industry. The presentation was rich with practical South African data, real operational examples and insights tailored specifically to Africa's low altitude economy. In an era where conferences are increasingly filled with imported trends and AI-generated forecasts, delegates were exposed to something far more valuable practical intelligence built from years of operating and growing one of Africa's leading drone establishments.

One of the most powerful messages from the keynote was the distinction between activity and scale. South Africa's drone industry is active, but activity alone does not build an economy. Scale does. Kim challenged delegates to build sustainable drone businesses capable of solving African problems using African solutions and highlighted the enormous opportunities emerging in Urban Air Mobility, regulatory maturity, talent development and airspace integration.

The keynote was highly interactive, engaging and perhaps most importantly, honest. Delegates did not leave with theory; they left with practical direction and a much-needed reality check, on what it will take to mature Africa's low altitude economy without simply following eastern or western industry trends operating under vastly different environments, regulations and market conditions.

Following the keynote address and conference overview, I spent time engaging delegates during the networking session and the feedback was remarkably consistent, real, experienced and practical. There was a sense that the industry had been challenged to think differently, focus on sustainable growth and build businesses designed for scale rather than simply participation.

Special mention must also go to Justin Hawley of Drone Solutions International who once again demonstrated exceptional professionalism as Director of Ceremony, expertly steering the programme and maintaining the momentum throughout the day. His energy, precision and ability to keep the conference flowing ensured that the fire inside the venue never faded and that delegates remained fully engaged from start to finish.

Adding to the excitement, Tau Aerospace & Advanced Technologies showcased impressive counter-drone defence technologies, offering delegates a glimpse into the rapidly evolving world of airspace security and unmanned defence systems. The demonstrations highlighted just how quickly the industry is maturing and reinforced the reality that Africa's low altitude economy is expanding far beyond traditional drone operations into advanced aerospace and security applications.

The conference also reinforced an urgent need for stronger collaboration between academia and industry. Training institutions, universities and drone businesses must evolve together if Africa's low altitude economy is to reach its full potential and mature at the pace demanded by industry.

Drone TV Africa extends its appreciation to Bussynet Advanced Trading for delivering yet another world-class Drone & Unmanned Conference 2026 and for assembling an outstanding lineup of speakers, industry leaders and innovators.

If Kim James' keynote address taught us anything, it is this, Africa's drone economy is no longer preparing for take-off it has already begun its climb.

By the close of the conference, one thing had become abundantly clear, the African drone industry is no longer discussing potential, it is actively building capability, scale and global relevance.