Aviation Africa 2025 Highlights the Future of Advanced Air Mobility
The 9th Aviation AFRICA Summit & Exhibition takes place in Kigali, Rwanda, September 4-5, 2025.
Drones and electric vertical take-off and landing aircraft (eVTOLs) are rapidly gaining traction across Africa, driven by practical applications, innovation, and investment interest.
At this year’s Aviation Africa Summit & Exhibition, advanced aviation technology takes center stage.
A strategic partnership with the African Drone Forum (ADF)—Africa’s largest platform for drone professionals, startups, policymakers, and national drone ecosystem leaders—will further enhance the summit’s discussions.
ADF Symposium – Industry Insights on Day 2
On Day 2, ADF will host a dedicated symposium at the Insight Theatre within the main exhibition hall, offering in-depth analysis and discussions on Africa’s drone sector and its aviation benefits.
“This is a great addition to Aviation Africa week,” said summit chairman Alan Peaford. “It’s also fitting that we’re in Rwanda, where Zipline first demonstrated medical delivery drones in shared airspace, thanks to the forward-thinking approach of the country’s civil aviation authority.
“As more drone operations expand across the continent, this event presents a valuable opportunity for regulators to meet, exchange insights, and ensure Africa remains at the forefront of real-world drone applications.”
Industry Leaders and Exhibitors Join the Conversation
Several key exhibitors from the sector will showcase their solutions at the event. The main stage session, ‘Africa’s Low-Altitude Drone Economy: The Next Frontier for Innovation, Investment, and Infrastructure’, will be moderated by Eno Umoh, co-founder of Global Air U and the Global Air Drone Academy.
This session will feature top manufacturers, financiers, investors, and operators, discussing:
- Beyond Visual Line of Sight (BVLOS) operations
- African Civil Aviation Authorities’ (CAA) regulatory approaches
- Case studies from proof-of-concept drone corridors
The session will offer a deep dive into ‘Beyond Visual Line of Sight’ operations—what’s possible today, what’s holding us back, and how different CAAs are approaching risk, permissions, and proof-of-concept corridors.
Additionally, Aviation Africa 2025 anticipates potential live demonstrations of eVTOL aircraft.
Africa’s Emerging Drone and eVTOL Applications
Advanced air mobility is already shaping industries across the continent:
- Healthcare Delivery:
- Zipline (Rwanda, Ghana, Nigeria, Kenya) operates fixed-wing drones to deliver blood, vaccines, and medical supplies, significantly reducing delivery times in remote areas with limited infrastructure.
- Agriculture:
- Drones improve yields through crop spraying, imaging, and data collection, with startups in Tanzania, Nigeria, and South Africa serving commercial and smallholder farmers.
- Wildlife Conservation & Anti-Poaching:
- Countries such as Kenya, South Africa, and Botswana deploy drones to monitor protected areas, track wildlife, and deter illegal hunting.
- Disaster Response & Infrastructure Monitoring:
- Civil defense agencies use drones for flood mapping, damage assessments, and infrastructure inspections(bridges, railways, etc.).
Meanwhile, urban hubs like Lagos and Nairobi explore drones and eVTOLs for congestion relief, cargo transport, and advanced logistics, while regions such as Tanzania, Rwanda, Kenya, and Southern Africa envision tourism opportunities enabled by air mobility advancements.
ADF’s Vision for Africa’s Drone Future
“ADF’s primary goal at Aviation Africa 2025 is to transition Africa’s drone future from policy discussions to practical implementation,” said ADF co-chair Jonty Slater.
The forum will focus on:
- Regulatory clarity
- BVLOS capabilities
- Unmanned Traffic Management (UTM) systems
- Africa’s overall readiness for Advanced Air Mobility
Organisations seeking to exhibit within the special ADF zone at Aviation Africa 2025 can reach out to the ADF team or Aviation Africa representatives for further details.
About Aviation Africa
Aviation Africa is organised by TIMES Aerospace Events Ltd, having successfully hosted eight previous editions in the UAE, Rwanda, Egypt, Ethiopia, Nigeria, and South Africa.