The most densely populated rural area in the world, East Africa's Lake Victoria basin is home to 35 million people. Many in hard-to-reach, rural locations, these communities often lack necessary infrastructure, separating them from vital services as well as from markets where they can sell their produce.

Aimed at taking on these challenges, the Tanzanian government has teamed up with four organizations—including UNICEF, and the World Bank—to look at the potential of deploying drone technologies in the region. Known as the Lake Victoria challenge, the initiative aims at providing long-term opportunities for growth.

“The rural island communities in and around Mwanza are often only accessible by boat, which can be slow and expensive," said Hon. John Mongella, the Regional Commissioner of the Mwanza Region. "A drone network will support this existing infrastructure, improving access to healthcare and opportunity.”

Bella Bird, Country Director for Tanzania, Burundi, Malawi and Somalia at the World Bank Group, added that the initiative will "support reimagining Lake Victoria’s mobility, public health systems and daily life; opening up innovative possibilities for real-world impact."

There are three parts to The Challenge. The first, which ran from October 29-31, brought together policy makers, drone manufacturers and operators, designers, entrepreneurs, and local stakeholders for a symposium to discuss drone futures. Later, a series of competitions will be held to test out drones in real-world scenarios, including pickup and delivery of a medical parcel. And lastly, an Expo, which will take place in June 2019, to showcase innovations in state-of-the-art technology for cargo drone deliveries.

Drones offer a starting point for a radically new model of low-cost, fast and futuristic transportation. However, before widespread use is to become a reality, many technical and regulatory hurdles are still needed to be overcome.

DHL Express, the German delivery company, has already begun testing the use of drones to deliver medicine from Tanzania to an island in Lake Victoria. Even so, Frank Appel, the CEO of DHL’s parent company, believes it will remain a niche vehicle, with the biggest obstacle being short battery life.

Still, drones have a "potentially critical role to play" in transforming African mobility, says Michael Dunford, World Food ProgramTanzania Country Representative. "The Lake Victoria Challenge offers an opportunity to better understand the potential of this emerging technology in terms of our mission and to demonstrate how government, regulators, international aid, innovators and industries can unite for the benefit of East Africa—and beyond."