Morocco Sees Rise in Demand over Drones to Help Tackle Coronavirus

Morocco has relied on heavy surveillance to enforce a strict lockdown, attracting criticism from the United Nations Human Rights Office - AFP
Morocco has relied on heavy surveillance to enforce a strict lockdown, attracting criticism from the United Nations Human Rights Office - AFP
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Morocco Sees Rise in Demand over Drones to Help Tackle Coronavirus

Morocco has relied on heavy surveillance to enforce a strict lockdown, attracting criticism from the United Nations Human Rights Office - AFP
Morocco has relied on heavy surveillance to enforce a strict lockdown, attracting criticism from the United Nations Human Rights Office - AFP

Morocco has seen a rapid rise in demand for drones amid it battles against the novel coronavirus pandemic, deploying them for aerial surveillance, public service announcements and sanitisation.

"This is a real craze. In just weeks, demand has tripled in Morocco and other countries in the region," said Yassine Qamous, chief of Droneway Maroc, African distributor for leading Chinese drone company DJI.

In recent weeks, authorities have employed drones to issue warnings, identify suspicious movement in the streets and disperse illegal rooftop and balcony gatherings.

Moroccan firms have been using drones for years and according to Qamous, it "is among the most advanced countries in Africa" for unmanned flight, with a dedicated industrial base, researchers and qualified pilots.

However, restrictive regulations have long limited civilian drones to specific applications such as filming, agriculture, monitoring solar panels and mapping, AFP reported.

That changed rapidly as the fatal pandemic swept across the world.

Last week local authorities in Temara, a town near the capital Rabat, launched a high-precision aerial surveillance system developed by local company Beti3D, which previously specialized in aerial mapping.

Other countries in Europe, Asia and the Middle East have also adopted technology deployed in China since the start of the pandemic, whether for tracking the movements of citizens, disinfecting public spaces or facilitating deliveries.

"Drones have quickly emerged as a vital technology for public safety agencies during this crisis as they can safely monitor public spaces," according to the website of DJI, by far the world's top drone maker.

Like most countries, Morocco primarily uses imported Chinese drones. But the emergence of new applications linked to the pandemic is also driving local production of specialized aerial vehicles.

"There is real demand," said Abderrahmane Krioual, the head of Farasha, a startup that has raised funds to produce drones for thermal surveillance and aerial disinfectant spraying.

The aeronautics department of the International University of Rabat (UIR) offered its facilities, expertise and prototypes to authorities in March, deploying drones with loudspeakers or infrared cameras able to detect movement at night or spot individuals with high temperatures.

Several projects are underway across the country ahead of the widespread deployment of various models of drones, said Mohsine Bouya, the university's director of technology development and transfer.



UK Travel Disrupted as Storm Bert Fallout Continues

Waves crash over the harbor arm caused by high winds from Storm Bert in Folkestone, Britain, November 24, 2024. (Reuters)
Waves crash over the harbor arm caused by high winds from Storm Bert in Folkestone, Britain, November 24, 2024. (Reuters)
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UK Travel Disrupted as Storm Bert Fallout Continues

Waves crash over the harbor arm caused by high winds from Storm Bert in Folkestone, Britain, November 24, 2024. (Reuters)
Waves crash over the harbor arm caused by high winds from Storm Bert in Folkestone, Britain, November 24, 2024. (Reuters)

Britain's roads and railways were hit by closures on Monday after Storm Bert battered the country over the weekend, causing widespread flooding and killing four people.

There were more than 200 flood warnings and flood alerts in place across England and Wales, while trains from London to the southwest were cancelled and rail services in central England were severely disrupted.

"Do not attempt to travel on any route today," Great Western Railway, whose trains connect London to Bristol and Cornwall, said on X.

Among those killed during the storm were a dog walker in North Wales and a man who died when a tree hit his car in southern England.

Major roads in Northamptonshire and Bristol were closed, while fallen trees on rail lines cut off services between London and Stansted Airport, Britain's fourth busiest hub.

The disruption comes after Storm Bert hit Britain late on Friday, bringing snow, rain and strong winds.

The Met Office kept a warning for strong winds in place for northern Scotland on Monday and said the storm would clear from that part of the country early on Tuesday.