Kenyan Passenger Drone

Kenyan Passenger Drone
Morris Mbetsa
Kenya

The Kenyan Passenger Drone is a Vertical Take-Off and Landing prototype created by Morris Mbetsa, a self-taught inventor and electrical engineer.

This drone uses four vertical propellers and is flown either autonomously, remotely, or manually with a joystick. The prototype used in the flight tests is not the final design, as the final Kenyan Passenger Drone will have an enclosed cabin.

The drones can be used to transport tourists over and around Nairobi, and may also be used for search and rescue missions.

In May 2018, Mbetsa began the unmanned flight tests of the Kenyan Passenger Drone, which proved successful, allowing for manned flight tests to begin in June 2018.

With this project, Mbetsa wants to prove to the world Africa can be home to technological innovation instead of waiting for what is done elsewhere. The drones will be specialized to the African urban and wild environment rather than western or far eastern cities.

Resources:

• Video: First passenger drone in Africa | Kenya, Stiv M, May 7, 2018
• Video: First passenger drone Africa, Kenya | tests, Stiv M, May 28, 2018
• Video: Passenger drone takes off in Kenya, James Ratemo, June 6, 2018
• Video: Full: Passenger drone, a KENYAN Innovation by Morris Mbetsa, Samuel Maina, June 7, 2018
• Video: Power Breakfast: Passenger drone, Kenyan CitizenTV, June 10, 2018
• Video: Kenya's first passenger drone, K24 Tv Kenya, July 6, 2018
• Article: Kenya: experimentation of the first passenger drone in Africa, AfrikaTech.com, August 4, 2018