Persistence is key as Guydrones expands
“What many people don’t understand is that new technology is not to replace human beings, it is to replace our workload,” Ershad Mahamed says simply while talking about his company, Guydrones.
Several years ago, Guydrones was just an idea- a bold one at that- to help transform the local agriculture sector. If launched, this company would herald in a shift in the way many farming practices were executed by using industrial drones.
Many Guyanese farmers were initially hesitant to adopt the technology. It just wasn’t something they were familiar with.
For some, it was difficult to believe that touted benefits would outweigh the investment needed; for others, new technology threatens their work.
Still, Mahamed and the Guydrones team believed that drone technology could transform agriculture in Guyana. It could even benefit other sectors- be it mining, forestry or security and surveillance.
So they persisted, engaging stakeholders every step of the way. And in August 2021, the company was officially launched in Guyana.
“Farming applications are one of our main services. We really hit it off there,” Mahamad highlighted, explaining that farmers have lined up, requesting their services.
Training has been an integral part of connecting with farmers and the workers. Guydrones offers both training and certification for drone pilots; after-care services and tech support are also provided.
“Our training programme is very flexible. We’ve even trained people who dropped out of school.
“It’s not a walk in the park but it’s not difficult,” he said, boasting of training at least 150 persons so far.
That training, Mahamed believes, helped to reduce whatever initial hesitancy may have existed before.
Another useful occurrence has been the company’s diligence in engaging local authorities and subscribing to whatever safety guidelines and regulations are emerging. Verification, validation and confidentiality are cornerstones of its operations.
The company’s visibility has been increasing too; bodies like the Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo) and the Guyana Rice Development Board (GRDB) have been partnering with Guydrones.
And there has been no hesitancy in lending drone technology for not-for-profit uses.
Currently, Indigenous girls in Guyana’s Barima- Waini region have been receiving professional training to help with mangrove monitoring and protection efforts. This happened through a collaboration between Guydrones and the Guyana Marine Conservation Society (GMSC), a local marine conservation body.
Mahamed remains optimistic yet guarded about the company’s growth, however.
Demand is high, especially in the county of Berbice where the team is keen on concentrating operations and building capacity to eventually satisfy demands in other communities and other sectors.
“There are times when I feel that instead of stretching ourselves thin, we should concentrate and grow smartly,” he explained.
That doesn’t mean the company is without big plans for the future.
--
This is Part Two of a three-part series on Guydrones and its efforts to transform agriculture in Guyana. In Part One, we examine the genesis of Guydrones and in Part Three, we highlight what plans the company has in store.