Drone operations, commonly known as Unmanned Aircraft Systems, were approved in Kenya in 2020 by the Kenya Civil Aviation Authority (KCAA).
The move paved the way for a range of drone operations in the country, including training schools, repair and assembly, and other commercial drone operations.
The technology has been embraced in the film industry, search and rescue operations, traffic management, and surveillance. It has also been embraced by parastatals such as Keya Power, which uses drones to inspect power lines.
Although flying a drone is legal in Kenya, commercial operations require one to have a Remote Pilots License (RPL) certified by the KCAA.
As of March 2023, the KCAA had approved only 11 organizations to offer Unmanned Aircraft Training courses in the country.
In most of these schools, the RPL course takes 4-5 weeks while charges go for between sh 175 000 and sh 200 000.
These are the schools that offer drone pilot training in Kenya, as told by WoK:
Dronector Academy
Located in Lang’ata, Dronector academy is the brainchild of Kevin Githinji, whose father is the founder of the Kenya School of Flying.
Kevin trained as a drone operator in South Africa for three months before launching one of the first drone training schools in Kenya. The school offers courses such as Remote Pilots License (RPL) Initial, fixed wing rating, and instructor’s rating.
RPAS Training Academy
RPAS is a south African based institution certified by the KCAA to offer drone training classes in Kenya.
The academy offers a variety of courses, including RPC Initial, Manned to Unmanned drones, Fixed Wing, BVLOS Training, Instructors rating, RPC Renewal, and Youth Hubs.
According to their website, some courses can be completed within two weeks depending on personal schedule.
Drone Space Limited
Founded in 2018 by Tony Mwangi, Drone Space was among the first schools to be licensed for drone training operations in Kenya.
Aside from drone operation training, the school offers commercial drone operations and provides companies with accredited drone operators.
Other services include drone seeding, solar monitoring, and aerial cinematography. The school has branches in Westlands and Konza Technopolis.
Geoid Technologies Limited
Geoid Technologies Limited is a company that specializes in land and engineering surveying among other services.
The company also offers drone training courses for beginners and professionals. Their courses include the Remote Pilot License, Fixed Wing Option, Multi Rotor Option, and Dual Option.
The courses take place in three phases: Theory, practicals, exams, and certification. They are located along Thika Road, opposite Garden City.
Fahari Aviation
Fahari Aviation is a subsidiary of Kenya Airways. They offer a range of services in the unmanned aerial systems (UAS) industry, including pilot training and enterprise solutions.
Their courses include a three-week Remote Pilot License (RPL) course, whose charges are sh 200 000 according to their website. They also offer a 3-day RPL conversion program at charges of sh 50 000.
Other courses include Beyond Visual Line of Sight Training, Specialized UAS application course, RPL Instructor Rating, and RPL Renewal.
Osta Tech Limited
Osta Tech Limited is a prominent technology company based in Nairobi that specializes in providing a wide range of digital solutions and technology services.
Aside from drone training lessons, they offer services such as filming, event coverage, construction progress, and real estate showcase.
In 2021, they partnered with global tech firm IEC Telecom Group to promote satellite technology in the country. Osta Tech was among the two companies tendered to provide Kims network to IEBC in the 2022 general elections.
Expert Drones East Africa Limited
Expert Drones East Africa Limited, often abbreviated as EDEA, is an organization specializing in drone-related services and operations in East Africa.
They offer specialized training and operations related to Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) or drones.
Their offices are located in Karen, Nairobi. The company was founded in 2018 by Marcus Church, Marc Goss, and Kevin Rodrigues. Their charges begin at $199/hr. for beginners and $299/hr. for experts.
Kendrone Limited
Kendrone Limited is a Kenyan drone company that offers a range of drone-related services, including drone training, aerial survey and mapping services, and commercial drone services.
Their courses include a one-week Remote Pilot License (RPL) course at a cost of sh 139 000 sh. They also offer RPA certificates for hobby flying at sh 28 000.
Other courses include Drones for Aerial Survey, Fixed Wing Drone Training, and Radio License Telepathy courses. They have branches in Nairobi and Mombasa.
Stablegen Investment Limited
Established in 2018, Stablegen Investment Limited offers a range of services related to drones, including drone sales, drone pilot training, and drone maintenance.
They also operate a Drones Academy that provides training in various aspects of drone technology, including inspections, agriculture, and mapping and are approved by the Kenya Civil Aviation Authority (KCAA). The company is located in Mtwapa.
Africanair Groupe Limited
Africanair Groupe Limited is an aviation service provider that operates across Africa. They are known for their involvement in aviation services, including unmanned aircraft system training, and are approved by the Kenya Civil Aviation Authority for this purpose.
They have branches in Kenya, Central African Republic, Tanzania, and Comoros. Their courses include a Remote Pilot License Course and a Remote Pilot Certification/ hobbies training, with intakes throughout the year.
Versadrones Limited
Versadrones Limited is a company that specializes in the design and manufacture of unmanned aerial systems (UAS) or drones.
They offer a range of UAS products, including quadcopters, hexacopters, and octocopters, which are used for various purposes such as 3D surveying, aerial photography, surveillance, crisis management, and more.
They also offer a Remote Pilot License (RPL) training Course, where each student must log in at least 5 hours of flight time before they are approved as pilots by the KCAA.
