From Theory to Practice: WFP Drones in action

Where we've been and what we've done
Technical Working Group

Connectivity Technical Working Group

Connectivity
Communication
WFP's Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) Technical Working Group (TWG) aims to build a community of stakeholders around the safe and responsible use of drones in humanitarian activities. The TWG serves as a platform to exchange ideas, best practices and help improve multi-stakeholder buy-in and coordination. The Connectivity TWG is one of four key areas of focus.  ...
Technical Working Group

Imagery Technical Working Group

Site Surveys and Line of Sight
Damage Assessment
Search and Rescue
Crop Monitoring
Flood Modelling
Communication
WFP's Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) Technical Working Group (TWG) aims to build a community of stakeholders around the safe and responsible use of drones in humanitarian activities. The TWG serves as a platform to exchange ideas, best practices and help improve multi-stakeholder buy-in and coordination. The Imagery TWG is one of four key areas of focus.  ...
Technical Working Group

Ethics Technical Working Group

Community Participation
Communication
WFP's Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) Technical Working Group (TWG) aims to build a community of stakeholders around the safe and responsible use of drones in humanitarian activities. The TWG serves as a platform to exchange ideas, best practices and help improve multi-stakeholder buy-in and coordination. The Ethics TWG is one of four key areas of focus.  ...
Technical Working Group

Regulation and Operation Technical Working Group

Site Surveys and Line of Sight
Community Participation
Damage Assessment
Search and Rescue
Crop Monitoring
Flood Modelling
Connectivity
Communication
Cargo Delivery
WFP's Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) Technical Working Group (TWG) aims to build a community of stakeholders around the safe and responsible use of drones in humanitarian activities. The TWG serves as a platform to exchange ideas, best practices and help improve multi-stakeholder buy-in and coordination. The Regulation and Operation TWG is one of four key areas of focus.  ...
Emergency response

Mozambique

Site Surveys and Line of Sight
Community Participation
Damage Assessment
Search and Rescue
Crop Monitoring
Flood Modelling
Connectivity
Communication
When Cyclones Idai and Kenneth struck Mozambique in 2019, WFP deployed drones for the first time in an emergency response and worked alongside the country's National Institute of Disaster Management (INGC) to coordinate and ensure operational safety. Drones provided rapid post-disaster assessments and detailed mapping, opening up a wealth of information and helping support the efforts of 20 humanitarian partners on the ground reach people in need.  ...
Emergency response

Dominica

Site Surveys and Line of Sight
Community Participation
Damage Assessment
Crop Monitoring
Category-5 Hurricanes Irma and Maria hit the Caribbean region in 2017, cutting off large swaths of affected populations across several islands including Dominica. ...
Capacity building

Bolivia

Community Participation
Crop Monitoring
Communication
In December 2018, the World Food Programme (WFP) conducted a series of workshops in La Paz, Bolivia consisting of three modules: Let’s COORDINATE, on strengthening cooperation between national and international stakeholders; Let’s FLY, a a practical flight exercise; and Let’s MAP on processing data. In addition to local and national disaster management authorities, regional representatives from Cuba, El Salvador, Panama and Peru joined this six-day event. ...
Capacity building

Colombia

Community Participation
Damage Assessment
Search and Rescue
At the end of November 2018, the World Food Programme (WFP) conducted a series of workshops in Bogota, Colombia consisting of three modules: Let’s COORDINATE, on strengthening cooperation between national and international stakeholders; Let’s FLY, a a practical flight exercise; and Let’s MAP on processing data.This training package was built on the original coordination workshop conducted by WFP with support from the Government of Belgium in December 2017. ...
Capacity building

El Salvador Regional Training

Community Participation
Flood Modelling
In June 2019, WFP delivered all three UAS training modules in El Salvador and hosted a regional workshop for Central America, which brought together academic, government and humanitarian organizations from the Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, and Panama.  ...
Capacity building

Ethiopia

Site Surveys and Line of Sight
Community Participation
Damage Assessment
Search and Rescue
WFP delivered a drone training in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia during May 2019 to bolster local capacity. The training empowered the country office to purchase drone equipment and support local efforts to tackle key challenges including food security, disaster risk management and pest control. WFP is also exploring whether drones can be used in Ethiopia to supplement satellite imagery for the Satellite Based Index Insurance Programme (SIIPE). ...