Ethiopia: This Dembi Dollo University lecturer built “his own drone” successfully. In Western Oromia, a lecturer at the University of DembiDollo named Amanuel Balcha has successfully put together “his own drone” and flown it for 250 metres. Emmanuel Balcha, a chemical engineering graduate from Arba Minch University and current instructor at Dembi Dollo University, is reportedly working on putting together two additional drones and one aircraft using components that are readily available in the area, according to Dr. Leta Tesfaye, president of Dembi Dollo University. The institution commemorated “Innovation Day” with panel discussions and displays of cutting-edge products created by college students. According to Dr. Leta, the programme encourages university students to express their ideas and recognises those who do it admirably. The university is assisting budding inventors in the creation and improvement of numerous products, including coffee makers, wood scrubbers, textile machinery, equipment parts, chicken incubators, and water pumping motors, among others. While attending an Orthodox Christian religious event in Addis Abeba last year, my grandfather noticed a moving object in the sky. He questioned it and imagined it to be a piece of foreign intelligence equipment. But I informed him that the object was a filming drone taking an aerial photograph of an event that was being overseen from the ground. Imported drones with cameras have started to appear more often in Ethiopia recently. Drones like the one my grandfather spotted flying over Ethiopia are increasingly commonplace.
