Drones as Humanitarian Tools

The use of drones as surveillance tools and bomb-dropping machines leads to widespread apprehension about the technology in humanitarian circles, including within Doctors Without Borders/ Médecins Sans Frontières. Yet these flying cameras also offer huge potential to improve assistance during emergency responses, especially in hard-to-reach areas. In southern Malawi, an MSF team recently used a small drone to conduct an aerial mapping exercise of remote Makhanga island in order to prepare for anticipated seasonal floods that cut off the area from humanitarian aid.