ExecuJet Aviation Africa Director Gavin Kiggen
Photo by: ExecuJet
Worldwide business aviation company ExecuJet announced on Tuesday that it has added unmanned air vehicle (UAV) services to its activities at its African bases (Johannesburg, Cape Town and Lagos). The company will, however, be able to deploy UAVs to any place in the continent, to meet customers’ needs.
“UAVs can be used in various ways, from wind turbine inspections and crop monitoring, to covering sporting events and filming for television and movies,” pointed out ExecuJet Aviation Africa director Gavin Kiggen. “Industry experts believe that Africa is one of the most progressive regions when it comes to drone technology.”
As well as inspections and photography, other roles for UAVs include surveying and mapping. The company will be providing the necessary training to its staff, through its South African Civil Aviation Authority-certified partner, to ensure that they can execute customer requirements efficiently and safely.
“The market for drone technology in the commercial sector has been increasing in recent years and is expected to grow at a rate of 19%-plus between 2017 and 2020, as the technology becomes more widely used,” he highlighted. “Whilst attending the Drone Con conference, it emerged from research done by Dr Roelof Botha that in South Africa, the done market is expected to create 24 000-plus jobs by as early as the end of 2018, contributing R2-billion-plus to the economy.”
ExecuJet operates in the Asia-Pacific, Caribbean, Europe, the Middle East and Latin America as well as in Africa. It manages 165 business jets around the world and has more than 1 000 employees.