Ghana's drone industry is making history on two fronts. Delali Dagodzo, the country's first licensed drone pilot and Co-Founder of Skyway UAS, has launched a landmark airborne geophysical survey training program for the Minerals Commission of Ghana — a move that could reshape how West Africa approaches mineral exploration from the ground up.
A First-of-Its-Kind Training Initiative
The program brought together 15 geoscience professionals, including female geophysicists, for hands-on instruction in advanced UAV-based magnetic surveying. Participants trained on two purpose-built technologies: the Skyfront Perimeter 8 hybrid-electric drone and the Geometrics MagArrow II magnetometer sensor — a combination purpose-designed for high-resolution airborne geophysical data collection.
The inclusion of female geophysicists in the cohort is a notable detail. Women remain significantly underrepresented in both the geosciences and the commercial UAV sector across sub-Saharan Africa, making this training program meaningful beyond its technical scope.
The Hardware: Skyfront Perimeter 8 and MagArrow II
The Skyfront Perimeter 8 is a heavy-lift, hybrid gasoline-electric multirotor UAV built for extended endurance missions — the kind of long-duration, large-area flights that airborne geophysical surveys demand. Unlike standard LiPo-powered drones, hybrid platforms like the Perimeter 8 can stay aloft significantly longer, covering far more ground per flight and reducing operational costs on large survey projects.
Paired with the Geometrics MagArrow II — a towed total-field magnetometer system designed specifically for UAV deployment — the setup allows geoscientists to collect high-resolution magnetic data across terrain that would be difficult, expensive, or dangerous to survey using traditional crewed aircraft or ground teams.
Why This Matters for West African Mineral Exploration
Ghana is one of Africa's most significant mineral producers, with substantial deposits of gold, bauxite, manganese, and other resources. Accurate subsurface mapping is critical for identifying viable deposit locations — and historically, airborne geophysical surveys have required costly crewed aircraft operations, placing them out of reach for many national geological agencies.
UAV-based magnetic surveying changes that equation. Key advantages of this approach include:
- Lower operational cost compared to crewed fixed-wing or helicopter surveys
- Higher spatial resolution data collection, flying at lower altitudes safely
- Access to difficult terrain including forested, hilly, or remote regions
- Faster deployment with a smaller ground crew and logistics footprint
- Reduced environmental impact relative to ground-based survey methods
By building this capability internally within the Minerals Commission, Ghana is positioning itself to conduct sovereign mineral surveys with reduced dependence on international contractors — a significant step toward resource self-determination.
Dagodzo's Role in Building Ghana's Drone Ecosystem
The fact that this training is being led by Ghana's own first licensed drone pilot adds a layer of local significance. Dagodzo's work through Skyway UAS represents years of groundwork building drone expertise and operational infrastructure within the country. Training programs like this one don't just transfer technical skills — they establish a pipeline of qualified UAV operators capable of supporting the country's growing commercial and governmental drone needs.
For the broader drone community, this initiative is a clear signal that commercial UAV applications in Africa are maturing rapidly. As regulatory frameworks develop and local expertise deepens, expect to see more national agencies across the continent adopting drone-based geophysical, agricultural, and infrastructure surveying at scale.