Can a new wave of drone technology make Africa’s waters safer?

Can a new wave of drone technology make Africa’s waters safer?

Increasing sophistication and affordability of unmanned systems could alleviate Africa’s shortage of maritime security resources.

On October 29, Ukraine attacked a Russian naval vessel in the Crimean port of Sevastopol. unmanned Aircraft (UAVs) and Unmanned Surface Vessels (USVs). The flagship Admiral Makarov of the Russian Navy’s Black Sea Fleet and a minesweeper were reportedly damaged.

This new frontier in naval warfare reveals the potential role of drones in maritime security, especially in Africa. All coastal states on the continent face non-military and transnational threats such as human trafficking, overfishing, illegal migration and piracy, with inadequate resources to defend their territories. Can this new technology bridge the gap?

Military forces around the world are recognizing the potential of unmanned systems to enhance naval operations. Outside of Ukraine, several countries, including the United States, United Kingdom, France, and China, are using advanced UAVs for maritime border security while developing USV technology.

The “unattended” component is a clear advantage. The task is completed using only a small team of experts, and modern platforms can accommodate a variety of payloads, making the system relatively affordable. Drones perform a variety of tasks and can also reach remote and inaccessible locations.

The private sector was the first to use this technology for surveillance, monitoring ports and offshore oil and gas facilities, detecting marine pollution, and ocean surveys. However, criminals can also use these innovations to exploit gaps in law enforcement and surveillance.

In July, Spanish police arrested Suspects involved in manufacturing underwater drones used for drug smuggling from Morocco. Colombian guerrillas use similar tactics to smuggle drugs in remotely controlled USVs. Yemen’s Houthi rebels are also doing the same thing. some Similar drone attacks have also been carried out in the Red Sea.

Drones can assist the Navy and Coast Guard because they are affordable and relatively easy to deploy.

The proliferation of drone technology and its use by non-state actors for illicit purposes is a cause for concern. policy makers Armed groups are causing many conflicts in Africa, and organized crime is rampant.

At the same time, protecting Africa’s marine landscapes is an important challenge. Each country has vast responsibilities, with a combined coast length of 26,000 nautical miles and exclusive economic zones totaling 13 million km2. Given the scope of Africa’s maritime threats, significant investment is needed to raise awareness, track people and cargo at sea, and quickly detect suspicious activity. Most states do not have sufficient capacity to conduct surveillance operations to deter or arrest potential criminals.

Drones can assist the Navy and Coast Guard because they are affordable and relatively easy to deploy. “Unmanned technology has the potential to complement and support African naval missions,” Ebunoluwa George Ojoami, a drone pilot and information operations officer for a Nigeria-based maritime security company, told ISS Today.

He said current technology has the potential to significantly improve maritime situational awareness and support law enforcement operations at sea, while reducing risks to human life. This could solve one of Africa’s major challenges of working with limited capacity to achieve maximum impact.

Several African countries have already started using unmanned systems for maritime security. Nigeria has procured maritime unmanned aerial vehicles for the Deep Blue Maritime Security Project. According to Dr. Bashir Jamoh, Director-General, Nigeria Maritime Authority Safety Agency, the new system will: provide “Real-time information for ships and seafarers to take timely action to keep maritime waters safe.”

The Seychelles Fisheries Management Authority recently obtained Maritime UAV with advanced artificial intelligence capabilities. These drones will facilitate real-time monitoring of “target vessels” and improve search and rescue operations by monitoring remote locations along the Seychelles coastline.

Several African countries have already started using unmanned systems for maritime security

Despite its benefits, this technology is not perfect, and several factors can delay its adoption. First, a drone’s size determines its mission, flight time in the open ocean, range, speed, and vulnerability to changing weather patterns. ACUA Ocean CEO and USV expert Neil Tinmouth told ISS Today that the current preference is for smaller, cheaper platforms that work better in coastal waters and ports.

The problem with small systems is that they have limited operational reach, functionality, scope, and low return on investment. Large platforms that perform a variety of tasks over a long period of time tend to be expensive. Small vessels can be purchased for around US$350,000, while larger vessels can cost between US$2 million and US$5 million.

Despite their higher costs, several factors make large vessels suitable for maritime security with comparable operating costs to smaller vessels. These include capabilities such as operating in the open ocean, carrying high-bandwidth communications systems, and deploying powerful and stable payload sensors.

Tinmas says the cost-effectiveness of larger unmanned systems compared to traditional naval platforms will become clearer over time. This provides a scalable way to achieve the geographic and temporal coverage increasingly required in today’s marine environments.

The second drawback is that drones and the data they collect can be hacked. Modern drones and floating platforms operating at sea rely on satellite navigation and data, making them susceptible to disruption. This results in GPS spoofingis of particular grave concern.

Adversarial state and non-state actors can “trick” the GPS by changing its location coordinates, disabling it, or putting it at risk of causing a collision or sinking. Misdeployment or spoofing of a drone can even be considered an act of war and lead to serious legal consequences.

Use of unmanned systems in Africa is constrained by outdated regulations and bureaucratic delays

Finally, the deployment of unmanned systems is constrained by outdated regulations. Mr Tinmas said the main hurdle was the disconnect between existing directives and the requirements for using unmanned systems in African waters.

For example, cameras and sensors mounted on unmanned platforms may detect the presence of vessels in restricted waters, but that alone may not be enough to arrest and arrest them. prosecute Individual. Another challenge concerns jurisdictional boundaries and related evidence collection, which can lead to legal loopholes. Governments need to revise regulations covering drone operations so that the data collected can be used in arrests and trials.

Although unmanned systems cannot yet fully complement law enforcement, they can be used as a force multiplier to support maritime operations and deter illegal activity. A priority for African governments is to address outdated regulations and bureaucratic delays. These can complicate the deployment of new systems, limit the range of tasks that drones can perform, or even make deployment impossible.

The International Maritime Organization is developing measures to regulate the use of Maritime Autonomous Surface Ships (MASS), which are expected to come into force in 2028. Over the next five years, African governments and organizations will need to draft laws that align and harmonize with these regulations.

A wave of new technology has the potential to transform the safety and development of Africa’s coastlines and oceans through the use of drones for maritime patrol, monitoring illegal maritime activities, and reporting accidents and pollution.

Denys Reva, Researcher, Tshegofatso Johanna Ramachela, Intern, Maritime, ISS Pretoria

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