The Lake Victoria Challenge (LVC) explores the potential of unlocking Africa’s lower skies as a mobility resource. Envisioned to be the first event of its kind in Africa, it focuses on emerging transport technologies that can leapfrog the continent’s infrastructure deficit and address its public health and mobility challenges with a visionary, safe and scalable solution. The event is designed to showcase and test business models, processes and mature e-VTOL UAV technologies with high potential of near-term adoption for routine use in the Lake Victoria Region.
The LVC Flying Competitions are planned to take place between 25-30 November 2019 in Mwanza, Tanzania. Drone innovators will compete in a series of real-world scenarios between Juma Island in Lake Victoria, and a temporary droneport in Mwanza City. There are three categories in the LVC Flying Competitions: Emergency Delivery ; Sample Pick-Up ; and Find and Assess . These competitions focus on pickup and delivery of a medical parcel utilizing electric vertical take-off and landing platforms, environmental sustainability, and safely abiding by the rules and regulations prescribed by the Tanzanian Civil Aviation and Military authorities.
LVC Flying Competitions Registration Phases
Phase One involves completing an online submission form to explain how your drone system meet the different eligibility criteria for one of the three of the LVC Flying Competitions. Register below . Teams can register to compete in more than one competition. Submission deadline is April 25, 2019 midnight (GMT).
Competition teams that successfully move onto Phase Two will be asked to virtually demonstrate how their drone can address specific user cases. Further details around this phase will be announced in April 2019.
Shortlisted teams will be invited to compete in Phase Three: the LVC Flying Competitions in Mwanza, currently planned for between 25-30 November 2019, in front of an international panel of judges.
Competitors will also be invited to showcase their technology at the LVC Expo and Symposium, which is scheduled for 3-5 December 2019 in Mwanza, Tanzania.
Mission: Emergency Delivery
Safely deliver an emergency package from the droneport in Mwanza to Juma Island at a distance of 20 km; then come back and safely land at the origin. No battery swap is allowed at the drop-off location.
Mission 2: Sample Pickup
Pick up as many 250g modules as possible from Juma Island and return them to Mwanza. Several packages may be carried at one time.
Mission 3: Find & Assess
Successfully identify the GPS locations of pre-placed markers on Juma Island and perform a change detection analysis. Flights must be operated out of the Mwanza Droneport.
Edward Anderson: Lake Victoria Challenge 2019