The Department of Transport (DOT) has urged stakeholders to submit comments on its draft Airfreight Strategy, which explicitly promotes drones or Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) as a core component of South Africa’s future logistics network.
According to the DOT, the recently gazetted draft strategy document, which is rooted in a review of the 2017 National Civil Aviation Policy (NCAP), flags the airfreight sub-sector as “relatively underdeveloped and fragmented”.
It notes that this limits the country’s trade and logistical capabilities, underscoring the “need for a more integrated and efficient airfreight network to unlock its full potential”.
The strategy targets 11 priority areas of focus, with drones or UAVs highlighted for “seamless services and movement of goods”.
According to the DOT, the strategy includes “the usage of drones or UAVs in the provision of seamless services and movement of goods in the airfreight sub-sector”.
The strategy frames drones as not merely innovation but as “a critical enabler designed to significantly multiply the efficiency, inclusivity and resilience of the entire national airfreight system”.
The strategy outlines three key drone-driven outcomes:
· Boosting efficiency and competitiveness – “Drones or UAVs offer a powerful solution for the ‘first and last mile’ of delivery, rapidly moving smaller, time-sensitive and high-value shipments.”
· Driving inclusivity and reach – “This technology will extend the reach of airfreight to rural and hard-to-reach areas where traditional modes of transport are hugely challenged.”
· Enhancing resilience and sustainability – “By offering an agile, alternative transport option, drones or UAVs add a crucial layer of resilience, providing a greener, low-emission delivery method.”
The DOT said the South African Civil Aviation Authority (SACAA) would continue to oversee the regulation of civilian drones or UAVs under “international norms and standards related to aviation safety, security and environmental protection”. Submissions close at midnight on November 7.
