African Drone Forum
Membership open · Vetted community

The vetted network of Africa's autonomous economy.

Operators, builders, regulators and partners doing real work in African airspace. Every member profile is reviewed before full access. Individuals can create a free account.

Choose your membership Download the prospectus
Applications reviewed in 2 to 3 business days.
$1BAfrican commercial drone market today
$9B+Projected by the mid‑2030s at ~28% CAGR
54Countries in ADF's reach
2018Convening since Lake Victoria
Live
africandroneforum.org/adf-connect
ADF Connect Mission Control dashboard
Members at the Africa Pavilion
The community behind the platformKigali to Düsseldorf, since 2018

Trusted by operators building across the continent

Zipline KRANTH SARL, Senegal Precision Aerial Group, Zimbabwe Skyway Aero Group, Ghana Charis Unmanned Aerial Solutions, Rwanda SSASS, South Africa Kenya Flying Labs
Members only
Who this is for

Built for the people doing the work.

  • Operators with a current ROC or equivalent licence
  • Manufacturers, software and service companies active on the continent
  • International partners with a real Africa strategy
  • Regulators, researchers and institutions building the rules and the talent

Why we vet. When a partner finds an operator in the ADF directory, they need to trust what they see. Verification turns a list of names into a network people do business inside.

Not a fit ADF Connect is not suitable for shell entities, applicants without active operations, or anyone seeking shortcuts around regulatory requirements. Applications that do not meet our standards will be declined.
Members networking at the African Drone Forum in Kigali
African Drone Forum · Kigali
Why members join

Visibility. Intelligence. Network.

01

Visibility

Be found by the partners, clients and regulators who matter. Your verified profile sits in the directory and on the industry map.

Directory profileIndustry mapMember spotlight
02

Intelligence

Country intelligence, regulatory updates and market briefs from across the continent, delivered before public release.

Country intelligenceRegulatory updatesMarket briefs
03

Network

Events, mentorship and warm B2B introductions to operators, investors and CAAs, curated by the secretariat.

Events and learningMentorshipB2B introductions
"ADF is the only organisation that has run consistent drone events on this continent since 2018. That consistency has earned us something no amount of marketing can buy: trust."
Eno Umoh · Founding Chairman, African Drone Forum

Real screens. This is what members see.

Tap each view to explore the platform

africandroneforum.org/adf-connect · Mission Control
ADF Connect Mission Control dashboard
Your command centre.

Open opportunities, network growth, the live industry map and the latest intelligence on one screen.

ADF Connect · Member Directory
ADF Connect member directory
The network, in one place.

Verified companies and professionals, searchable by country, sector and skill.

ADF Connect · Intelligence Hub
ADF Connect intelligence hub
Know before the market does.

Regulatory, funding and tender updates curated from CAA bulletins and partner reports, country by country.

ADF Connect · Opportunity Board
ADF Connect opportunity board
Win more work.

Live tenders, projects and sub-contracts across the continent, filtered by sector and country, with closing dates you can act on.

How membership works

Four steps, then you're working.

1

Apply

Start with your name, country, and work. Individuals create a free account and submit their profile for review.

2 minutes
2

Verification

The secretariat reviews licences, legal standing and fit. We reply either way.

2 to 3 business days
3

Onboarding

Welcome call, profile live in the directory and on the map, introduction to the community.

Week one
4

Working membership

Briefs before public release, curated introductions, member rates, working groups.

Ongoing
Member intelligence

The intelligence you join for.

The Capital and Investment Map tracks who is funding what across Africa's autonomous economy: deals, government contracts and programmes, verified and mapped country by country.

africandroneforum.org/capital · Africa Deal Map
$150M$34M$27.8M
Deal markets tracked live · hover a country
Live deal flow · 2026
Zipline secures U.S. State Dept Africa award, Rwanda first to sign$150M
Government contract · Drone logistics Verified
Spiro equity round for Africa battery-swap network$215M
Equity round · Autonomous infrastructure Verified
Togo and Poland launch the Africa Drone Company initiative$27.8M
Bilateral programme · Manufacturing Verified
Terra Industries opens Pax-2, Africa's largest drone factory, in Ghana$34M raised
Manufacturing · Autonomous security Verified
Member preview. Full map, sources and deal detail inside ADF Connect. Explore the live map
The community, in person

From Kigali to Düsseldorf.

Delegates at the African Drone Forum, Rwanda 2020
African Drone Forum · Kigali 2020
Conversations at the Africa Pavilion, XPONENTIAL Europe
Africa Pavilion · Düsseldorf
Plenary hall at Aviation Africa
Aviation Africa · main stage
ADF drone track panel in Kigali
Drone track panel · Kigali
Member voices

The people already in the room.

"We have to look the part, act the part, and deliver like no one else. That's how we shape policy, win deals, and earn global respect."
Cleopa Otieno
Cleopa OtienoKenya Flying Labs
"Collaboration isn't just a word. It's a competitive advantage. The continent wins when we work together."
Kwamena Hazel
Kwamena HazelSkyway UAS, Ghana
"We're here to build serious businesses, not just fly drones. It's time Africa owns the drone narrative, not rents it."
Tawanda Chihambakwe
Tawanda ChihambakwePrecision Aerial, Zimbabwe
Membership

Pick your level. Earn your place.

Founding Member

15 Founding Organisational Member slots. Locked founding rate, founding recognition, priority across ADF programmes. Closes 31 December 2026 or when the slots are gone.

Apply for a founding slot
Choose the right path. Individuals can create a free account and submit their profile for review. Organisations and strategic partners complete the relevant membership application.
Individual
Pilots, professionals, students and freelancers
Free
  • Directory profile
  • Opportunity feed
  • Industry map
  • Events and learning
  • Mentorship and B2B introductions
Create a free account
Organisation · Africa
African organisations in the drone ecosystem
$500 /year
Apply and get vetted. Not pay and enter.
  • Everything in Individual
  • Verified organisation profile and map presence
  • Country intelligence and market briefs
  • Member rates at ADF and partner events
  • Working groups and strategic partnerships
Apply for organisation membership
Partner · International
Organisations outside Africa working on the continent
$1,500 /year
Apply and get vetted. Not pay and enter.
  • Everything in Organisation
  • Responsible market access support
  • Cross-border opportunities
  • Continental visibility
  • Introductions to verified local members
Apply as a partner
Take it to your team

Download the membership prospectus.

Tiers, benefits, verification and the founding offer in one shareable document.

Membership
Prospectus
2026
ADF Membership Prospectus 2026Tiers · benefits · verification · founding offer

Get the prospectus

We will email it to you, with occasional member updates. Unsubscribe any time.

By downloading you agree to receive ADF membership updates.
Questions, answered

Before you apply.

Who is ADF membership for?
Operators, manufacturers, training academies, geospatial and software companies, researchers, and international partners working in Africa's autonomous economy. Individuals join free. Organisations apply for verified membership.
How does verification work?
The secretariat reviews your organisation: relevant licences (for operators, a current ROC or equivalent), legal standing, and fit. Most reviews complete in 2 to 3 business days, and we reply either way. Membership activates after review, never automatically on payment.
What happens after I am accepted?
A welcome call, your verified profile goes live in the directory and on the industry map, and you are introduced to the community. Then: country briefs before public release, curated introductions, working groups, member rates at events.
What is ADF Connect?
The members-only platform at africandroneforum.org/adf-connect: live opportunity feed, industry map, country intelligence, member directory, events and learning.
What is the Founding Organisational Member offer?
Fifteen slots at a locked founding rate with founding recognition and priority across ADF programmes. Closes 31 December 2026 or when filled, whichever comes first.
What does membership cost?
Individuals: free. African organisations: 500 USD per year. International partners: 1,500 USD per year. Founding Organisational Members lock the founding rate. All organisational tiers activate only after verification.
Who reviews applications?
The ADF secretariat, against a published standard: relevant licences, legal standing and fit with the community. Individuals can create a free account and submit their profile for review. Organisation access is activated after the relevant membership review.
Do members get event discounts?
Yes. Preferential rates at ADF programmes and partner events, including exhibitions on the continent and Africa Pavilions overseas.

Your people are already in the room.

Join the vetted network of Africa's autonomous economy.

Create a free account Download the prospectus