Across Africa, drones are moving beyond novelty to become essential business tools. Whether in agriculture, healthcare delivery, defence, or logistics, startups are deploying them to solve problems shaped by the continent’s geography and infrastructure gaps.
Investors and enterprises are taking note, as drones evolve from experimental gadgets into serious enablers of efficiency, security, and productivity.
This week, we look to the skies — spotlighting four drone startups in Africa. These companies are harnessing aerial technology to secure cities, boost food production, and enable smarter operations.
Here are four drone startups making their mark:
1. Terrahaptix – Reimagining logistics with autonomous drones (Nigeria)
Nigeria’s logistics challenges — traffic congestion, poor road networks, and high last-mile costs — make the country ripe for alternative delivery methods. Terrahaptix is betting on drones. Its lightweight unmanned aircraft are designed to carry small but critical payloads, such as medicines, spare parts, or food packages, across busy urban centers and hard-to-reach rural areas.
The company is testing AI-powered flight planning tools that optimise routes and ensure safety in dense environments. Terrahaptix is currently working with partners in healthcare and e-commerce, aiming to scale its services into mainstream delivery networks.
The company counts majority of its customers in mining sector. With global data showing that 65% of mines now deploy drones — up from just 44% in 2018 — the company is betting on a sector valued at $31.4 billion today and projected to top $103 billion by 2031.
Terrahaptix has already surpassed its order target of $1.6 million and is on track to cross $2 million in revenues in its first year, with 75% of sales coming from outside Nigeria.
The startup also has a cost advantage. By sourcing 80% of its drone materials locally, Terrahaptix prices its products at nearly half the cost of competitors.
Crucially, Terrahaptix is benefiting from what Nwachukwu calls a “mining renaissance in Africa,” driven by the surging global demand for lithium, a key component in electric vehicle batteries. It opened a 15,000 sq ft factory to begin producing drones and is in the process of setting up a second plant in another West African country.
Why it matters: By cutting delivery costs and bypassing broken infrastructure, Terrahaptix is showing how drones could become a practical layer in Nigeria’s logistics value chain.
2. Zipline – Scaling medical drone delivery (Rwanda/Ghana)
Perhaps the most famous African drone story, Zipline has built the world’s largest autonomous drone delivery network. Starting in Rwanda in 2016, it pioneered medical supply drops to rural clinics, later expanding to Ghana, Nigeria, and beyond. Its fixed-wing drones deliver blood, vaccines, and medicines within minutes, even to remote villages.
Zipline has raised over $500 million from global investors and now runs operations in the US, Japan, and other markets. In Africa, it continues to work closely with governments and health ministries to embed drone delivery into public health systems.
Why it matters: Zipline shows how drone technology can scale beyond pilots into national infrastructure. It has redefined emergency healthcare logistics in Africa and proved that drone businesses can be both impactful and commercially sustainable.
3. Aerobotics – Precision farming from the skies (South Africa)
South Africa’s Aerobotics has built a reputation as one of the continent’s most successful drone startups. The company combines aerial imagery with machine learning to help farmers detect pests, assess crop health, and make better decisions about irrigation and fertiliser use.
With backing from international investors, Aerobotics operates across Africa and in global markets like the US and Australia. Its platform has analysed millions of plants and provided insights that help both smallholder and commercial farmers cut losses and boost yields.
It has recently raised $17 million to use drones, satellites, and machine learning to give farmers insights into their crops. “We started in a citrus farm, but today our tools are used in 18 countries,” says CEO James Paterson.
Why it matters: Agriculture contributes more than 20% to Africa’s GDP, yet productivity remains below global averages. Aerobotics is equipping farmers with data-driven insights, helping them extract more value from every hectare.
4. Astral Aerial – Cargo drones for Africa’s skies (Kenya)
Based in Nairobi, Astral Aerial is pioneering cargo drone services to tackle one of Africa’s biggest bottlenecks — poor connectivity between rural areas and urban markets. The company operates a fleet of drones capable of carrying loads of up to 20 kilograms, making them suitable for delivering medical supplies, essential goods, and even commercial cargo.
Astral Aerial is part of the Astral Aviation group, giving it an edge in aviation experience and regulatory navigation. The startup has run pilot projects for humanitarian aid delivery and is positioning itself as a key player in Africa’s drone logistics future.
Why it matters: By bridging the gap between air freight and last-mile delivery, Astral Aerial is unlocking new possibilities for trade, health delivery, and humanitarian relief across East Africa.