Category-5 Hurricanes Irma and Maria hit the Caribbean region in 2017, cutting off large swaths of affected populations across several islands including Dominica. One of the key priorities for the humanitarian community was to help local communities get access to information and reconnect with their loved ones by restoring communication networks. Damages to roads and communication towers made it particularly challenging for WFP and its partners to restore vital communication networks. During this time, WFP began piloting the limited use of drones to get high resolution images of infrastructure damage, helping speed up assessments and resource allocation.
Timeframe
September 2017 - March 2018