Delivering supplies to Africans is a struggle because of the continent’s lack of roads and bridges.
Architect Norman Foster has proposed a solution. The Droneport project will carry cargo to remote areas by traversing mountains, lakes, rivers, and desert by unmanned aircraft, as World Architecture Community reports.
The drones can carry goods to places more than 100 kilometers, or 62 miles, away. The plan consists of two network services. The Redline will have smaller drones that will transport medical supplies, and the Blueline will be larger aircraft that will ship electronics, spare parts, and e-commerce.
The drones will land in structures called Droneports, which not only will store drones but also house health clinics, digital fabrication shops, and post and courier rooms.
The project is a collaboration between Redline partners led by Afrotech, École polytechnique fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), the Norman Foster Foundation, and Foster + Partners.
Related Stories
Sponsored | Building Team | Nov 3, 2017
4 strategies for marketing your AEC firm
Having a clearly defined competitive brand and a fine-tuned marketing approach can give your firm a significant competitive advantage.
BIM and Information Technology | Oct 18, 2017
Project Frog announces Autodesk investment
Autodesk’s investment in Project Frog creates a common data environment, streamlines design and engineering processes, and optimizes architectural design for manufacturing.
BIM and Information Technology | Oct 12, 2017
Laser scanners go handheld
The emergence of handheld 3D laser scanners has been a boon for firms looking to lower costs and speed up turnaround time.
Sponsored | BIM and Information Technology | Oct 10, 2017
Moody Engineering, Inc. utilizes 3D scanner to meet challenges of phosphoric acid tank remodel
By integrating creativity and ingenuity with practicality, the Moody team was able to address the project’s specific requirements in order to save the customer time and money on this challenging project.
AEC Tech | Oct 6, 2017
How professional bias can sabotage industry transformation
Professional bias can take the form of change-resistant thinking that can keep transformational or innovative ambitions at bay. Tech consultant Nate Miller presents three kinds of bias that often emerge when a professional is confronted with new technology.
Sponsored | BIM and Information Technology | Sep 19, 2017
BIM vs VDC…how the US and the UK differ in approaching digital project delivery
In this four-part series, Bluebeam VP Sasha Reed sat down with industry experts to examine the need for defining and understanding digital workflows and data management throughout the design and construction project lifecycle.
Sponsored | BIM and Information Technology | Aug 28, 2017
3D scanning solution brought in to beat the heat on challenging fuel pipe demolition and replacement project
Acensium is an engineering consulting services firm with a focus on material handling retrofit projects and 3D scanning for as-built reality capture.
AEC Tech | Aug 25, 2017
Software cornucopia: Jacksonville Jaguars’ new practice facility showcases the power of computational design
The project team employed Revit, Rhino, Grasshopper, Kangaroo, and a host of other software applications to design and build this uber-complex sports and entertainment facility.
Office Buildings | Jul 20, 2017
SGA uses virtual design and construction technology to redevelop N.Y. building into modern offices
287 Park Avenue South is a nine-story Classical Revival building previously known as the United Charities Building.