GCAA, South Korea Hold Third Workshop on Ghana’s Drone Sector Roadmap

GCAA, South Korea Hold Third Workshop on Ghana’s Drone Sector Roadmap

The Ghana Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA), in partnership with the Korea Transportation Safety Authority (KTSA), has held the third workshop aimed at developing a comprehensive roadmap for Ghana’s drone sector.

The two-day workshop was opened by the Director-General of the GCAA, Rev. Stephen Wilfred Arthur, at the Authority’s new headquarters at the Kotoka International Airport in Accra on Tuesday, 3 February 2026.

Rev. Arthur recalled that in June 2025, Ghana and the Republic of Korea announced a partnership to develop a Ghana Drone Sector Development Roadmap under the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) and South Korea’s Official Development Assistance (ODA) programme. Since then, two capacity-building workshops have been organised to strengthen stakeholder knowledge in the emerging drone industry.

He noted that Ghana’s selection as the recipient of the “Government Drone Development Roadmap Establishment and Priority Formulation Project” reflects international confidence in the country’s potential.

The project will be implemented in five stages, beginning with the development of a national drone roadmap. Rev. Arthur said the current workshop marks the start of this critical phase.

According to Rev. Arthur, the roadmap seeks to bridge the gap between Ghana’s current position in the global drone and Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems (RPAS) ecosystem and its long-term aspirations over the next decade.

He stressed the need for collaboration among stakeholders to identify priorities, address challenges, and define actionable milestones for sustainable growth of the sector.

He urged participants to ensure that outcomes of the workshop are practical and measurable, adding that the sessions will also expose participants to international best practices in drone technology and regulatory frameworks.

Rev. Arthur announced that three additional workshops would be organised later in the year. These will focus on validating the drafted roadmap with local stakeholders and developing priority implementation plans, including drone pilot training and regulatory measures.

He expressed gratitude to the government and people of South Korea for their support, describing the initiative as a foundation for a smarter and safer drone future for Ghana.

Welcoming participants, the Director of Safety Regulations at GCAA, Mr. Franklin O. Gyamera, said the workshop was intended to prepare the ground for the actual drafting of a robust roadmap to guide the structured development of Ghana’s drone ecosystem.

The South Korean delegation, led by Principal Researcher Cho Joo-Yong, described the KOICA ODA project as a key step toward sustainable cooperation in Ghana’s drone sector. Under the programme, KTSA—a quasi-government agency under South Korea’s Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport—will implement the Ghana Drone Initiative.

The Drone Sector Roadmap and Candidate Projects Formulation initiative projects include a Regulatory Framework and Drone Safety Management Project (2028–2033), a Drone Pilot Training Programme (2030–2034), and a Drone Industry Ecosystem Development Project (2032–2036).

The Ghana–Korea partnership is expected to help transform Ghana’s drone sector into a well-regulated, innovative, and economically impactful industry.