Continental expansion

Zipline’s drones set to fly high in Africa on $330m funding

By Quentin Velluet, Quentin Velluet

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Posted on May 10, 2023 13:46

© In Rwanda, Zipline aims to make nearly 2 million autonomous deliveries by 2029. Luke Dray/Getty Images via AFP — In Rwanda, Zipline aims to make nearly 2 million autonomous deliveries by 2029. Luke Dray/Getty Images via AFP

Zipline, which has operations in five African countries, has once again hit the headlines by raising $330m, an amount the US start-up will be using to spread its drone services in Africa.

Zipline designs, manufactures, and deploys drones to deliver blood as well as medical and veterinary products to difficult-to-reach areas. The latest round of funding, raised from unnamed investors, is the Californian company’s sixth (Series F) since it was launched in 2011.

Zipline tapped Rwanda in 2016, before setting up more operations in Ghana (2019), Nigeria, Kenya, and Côte d’Ivoire (2022).

In Côte d’Ivoire, Zipline obtained a flight authorisation certificate in January.

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