In a move to combat the threat of malaria intensified by climate change, Japanese aerial tech firm SORA Technology is rolling out its AI drones across Nigeria and 14 other African countries.
The company says its expansion, set to begin on August 25, marks a critical intervention in one of the world’s most urgent public health challenges.
SORA’s drones, equipped with advanced imaging and deep learning algorithms, will target mosquito breeding sites with surgical precision, spraying larvicides only where needed.
“We use two types of AI,” said Yosuke Kaneko, SORA CEO. “Imaging AI helps us find and map mosquito breeding sites, while deep learning helps us rank which ones pose the highest risk.”
Kaneko claims the method has already been deployed in countries like Ghana and Sierra Leone.
What You Need to Know
This strategy, known as Larval Source Management (LSM), not only slashes chemical use by up to 70% but also halves the cost of traditional spraying campaigns, according to the company.
The drones will be deployed in 15 countries including Sierra Leone, Ghana, Benin Republic, Niger Republic, DR Congo, Cote D’Ivoire, Senegal, Nigeria, Malawi, Kenya, Ethiopia, Mozambique, Uganda, Rwanda, Tanzania, and Togo.
The company also noted that each country is expected to receive about 100 fixed-wing drones.
Scaling Health Innovation Across the Continent
With this expansion, SORA is growing its African footprint from 6 to 15 countries and stepping into a drone health-tech market valued at around $100 million.
This puts the company in proximity to Zipline, another major player in the African drone ecosystem, known for its high-speed delivery of blood and medical supplies.
Yet Kaneko sees room for synergy, not rivalry. SORA aims to reach over 100,000 people by year-end, and Kaneko believes the demand for its tech is already there.
“African governments have always shown interest in drone technology,” he said. “But never had the means to implement it. That’s the gap we are helping to close.”
Launched in 2018, SORA recently raised $4.8 million in seed funding in March 2025 from investors such as Nissay Capital, SMBC Venture Capital, DRONE FUND, and Rheos Capital Partners.
The company is also preparing to launch a malaria-specific drone model and is planning an assembly facility somewhere on the continent, signalling a long-term commitment to African health tech.
Climate Change Driving Malaria’s Spread
Malaria costs African economies an estimated $12 billion annually, with the continent accounting for over 90% of global cases and deaths. As climate patterns continue to shift, experts warn that malaria will likely widen unless interventions evolve quickly.
According to reports, rising temperatures, erratic rainfall, and shifting ecological zones are creating more favourable conditions for mosquito populations to thrive.
Studies from the World Health Organization and other public health agencies have highlighted how warming trends are extending mosquito breeding seasons and pushing them into previously cooler highland regions.
In this context, experts say SORA’s high-resolution AI imagery and drone-targeted spraying can offer a breakthrough, enabling fast response to emerging hot zones before outbreaks spiral out of control.
Talking Points
It is commendable that SORA Technology is leveraging AI and drone innovation to confront malaria, a disease that continues to take a devastating toll on Africa, especially as climate change worsens the situation.
SORA’s use of AI-powered drones for Larval Source Management (LSM) is a compelling example of how precision technology can reduce chemical usage and operational costs while significantly improving the effectiveness of malaria interventions.
At Techparley, we see this as a crucial step forward in climate-smart public health strategy, targeting mosquito breeding sites with surgical precision rather than relying on broad-spectrum spraying that often harms the environment.
By expanding to 15 countries and deploying 100 drones in each, SORA is positioning itself as more than a tech vendor, it is becoming a public health ally in the climate era, with potential ripple effects on disease surveillance, agriculture, and healthcare delivery.
However, successful implementation will hinge on data access, regulatory clarity, and trust from local stakeholders. Continued collaboration with ministries of health and environmental bodies will be essential to scaling responsibly.
