Source: World Wide Web
The training photo in Mozambique in December 2020 should be a DJI mavic series drone
On February 4, the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP), with the support of the British Department of Foreign Affairs, Commonwealth and Development Affairs (FCDO), is strengthening global cooperation in the use of humanitarian drones, which is a "game changer" that can quickly and accurately assess and respond to disasters.
With the threat of famine and climate change increasing, it is hoped that a new online platform will help meet the challenges of the future, as demonstrated in Mozambique's response to tropical cyclone eloise. To enhance the participation of key public, private and academic experts, WFP launched the platform to promote the safe and ethical use of this emerging technology. The new website complements broader response activities in the humanitarian field and leverages knowledge and experience to document and explore use cases for drones, including disaster assessments, air communications, and crop monitoring.
The World Food Programme and the Mozambican government deployed drones for the first time after Cyclone Idai in 2019, where thousands of aerial images were taken and high-resolution maps of the damaged areas were drawn. The time required to map the hardest-hit areas has been reduced from about a week to two or three days. This experience was crucial for a rapid response to Tropical Cyclone Eloise more than a week ago.
Enrica Porcari, Chief Information Officer and Technical Director of the World Food Programme, said: "Technology and innovation are huge drivers in WFP's response to famine and climate change. With responsible handling, drones can help monitor floods, damage, and food safety, or provide communications connectivity, but we need to urgently strengthen global cooperation in all aspects of their development and deployment to do this right. ”
According to reports, in 2019, the British government announced a multi-year support to the World Food Programme to coordinate, document and promote drone technology in the humanitarian field.