SORA Technology, a Japanese drone and aerial technology firm, will expand its operations to Nigeria and about 15 other African countries starting August 25, 2025. The company plans to deploy AI-powered drones to combat malaria, a disease that continues to pose a major health crisis across the continent.
The Malaria Challenge in Africa
Africa bears the heaviest burden of malaria worldwide. According to the World Health Organization, the continent accounts for over 90% of global cases and 95% of deaths, with the disease costing African economies an estimated $12 billion annually. In 2023 alone, the WHO African Region reported 246 million malaria cases and 569,000 deaths, with children under 5 most affected.
Traditional malaria control methods face growing challenges from climate change, which expands mosquito habitats, and increasing resistance to conventional treatments and insecticides.
How SORA’s AI Drone System Works
SORA’s approach uses fixed-wing drones equipped with AI cameras to identify and target mosquito breeding sites with precision. The drones scan areas such as swamps, farms, and riverbanks where mosquitoes breed.
According to Yosuke Kaneko: “We use two types of AI. Imaging AI helps us find and map mosquito breeding sites, while deep learning helps us rank which ones pose the highest risk.”
Once high-risk breeding sites are identified, the drones apply larvicides, chemicals that kill mosquito larvae, only to those specific areas. This targeted approach, known as Larval Source Management (LSM), offers several advantages over traditional widespread spraying:
- Reduces insecticide use by up to 70%
- Cuts operational and labor costs by about 50%
- Decreases the risk of mosquitoes developing insecticide resistance
- Minimizes environmental impact with more precise application
Expansion Plans and Operations
With this rollout, SORA will increase its African presence from 6 to 15 countries, including Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Ghana, Benin Republic, Niger Republic, DR Congo, Cote D’Ivoire, Senegal, Malawi, Kenya, Ethiopia, Mozambique, Uganda, Rwanda, Tanzania, and Togo. Each country will receive approximately 100 drones.
The company has already demonstrated successful results in countries like Ghana and Sierra Leone, where its LSM model has been implemented.
SORA enters Africa’s growing drone spraying market, valued at around $100 million, and brings the company into the same field as Zipline Africa, which runs the continent’s largest drone service.
However, Kaneko sees the two companies more as collaborators than competitors. While Zipline focuses on medical supply delivery, SORA’s approach covers a wider range of public health efforts, including mosquito control, disease surveillance, and logistics support across health, agriculture, and manufacturing sectors.
Investment and Future Plans
In March 2025, SORA raised $4.8 million in seed funding from investors including Nissay Capital, SMBC Venture Capital, DRONE FUND, and Rheos Capital Partners. This funding will support the expansion of drone operations, improve AI-based disease forecasting systems, and help hire key talent.
The company also plans to sell a malaria-focused drone starting in August and aims to build an assembly plant in Africa, creating local jobs and technology transfer opportunities.
Community Integration and Impact
SORA works closely with local health ministries, community leaders, and trained residents to ensure local impact and acceptance of its technology. This participatory approach enhances sustainability and effectiveness.
“African governments have always shown interest in drone technology, but never had the means to implement it. That’s the gap we are helping to close”, Kaneko noted
By year-end, SORA promises to reach 100,000 people across the continent with its malaria control technology.
Broader Implications for Public Health
The introduction of AI-powered drones for malaria control represents a shift toward more efficient, technology-driven public health interventions in Africa. This approach aligns with the African Union’s goals under Agenda 2063 to eliminate malaria by 2030.
With climate change expanding mosquito habitats and drug resistance increasing, innovative solutions like SORA’s drone-based LSM model offer new hope in the fight against a disease that continues to claim hundreds of thousands of lives each year.
As this technology proves its effectiveness, it could reshape malaria control strategies across the continent and help address one of Africa’s most persistent public health challenges.
