Students of the Engineering Club of Afua Kobi Ampem Girls Senior High School have demonstrated their ingenuity in aerospace engineering after successfully developing a multipurpose drone designed for firefighting, intelligence gathering, surveillance and marine patrol operations.
The innovative project, developed entirely by students of the school under the guidance of their lead engineer and tutor, Sir Ferdinand Sam, forms part of the club’s practical Aerospace programme aimed at equipping students with hands-on skills in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM).
According to Sir Sam, the drone was built from scratch by the students as they sought to develop practical technological solutions to some of the challenges confronting the country.
Speaking to News reporter Kwame Agyenim Boateng on Wednesday September 2, Sir Sam disclosed that the first test flight of the locally built aircraft had been successfully conducted along the Suhum By-pass Road.
He said the maiden test flight provided the students and their tutors with important technical lessons that would guide the next phase of the project.
Following the successful test, the Engineering Club is now working on upgrades intended to improve the drone’s performance and make it more effective for its proposed applications.
“The drone has a wingspan of 4 metres, length of 3.5 metres, 1.4 metres height, coming with 19.5 kilograms weight. Leading the students, we built the drone from scratch and the idea is to develop solutions to our everyday problems in the country,” Sir Sam stated.
The drone has been designed with multiple potential applications, including intelligence gathering, surveillance and delivery services.
The Engineering Club says it could also be adapted for firefighting operations, particularly in situations where drones could be used to assess difficult-to-access areas, monitor the spread of fires or support emergency response teams.
Beyond firefighting, the students envision the technology being useful for marine patrols, border surveillance and other security-related operations.
Such applications could provide authorities and emergency responders with aerial information from areas that may be difficult or dangerous for personnel to access directly.
The project is also being viewed as an important practical learning experience for the students, who have had the opportunity to apply classroom knowledge to the design and construction of a functional aircraft.
Rather than relying solely on theoretical lessons, the students have been exposed to areas of aerospace engineering involving design, construction, testing and subsequent modification of an unmanned aerial system.
Sir Sam believes the project demonstrates what Ghanaian students can achieve when they are provided with the necessary practical exposure, mentorship and resources.
He said the innovation should serve as an indication of the potential within Ghana’s second-cycle institutions to produce young people capable of developing homegrown technological solutions.
The successful test flight is expected to encourage the students to further refine the drone and explore additional applications for the technology.
The Engineering Club’s achievement also highlights the growing importance of practical STEM education in preparing young Ghanaians to contribute to innovation and technological development.
As the students continue working on upgrades to the drone, the project could provide a foundation for further research and development in areas such as unmanned aerial systems, emergency response, environmental monitoring, security and logistics.
The initiative therefore represents not only an engineering accomplishment by the Afua Kobi Ampem Girls SHS Engineering Club but also a demonstration of the possibilities that can emerge when students are encouraged to move beyond the classroom and apply their knowledge to real-world challenges.
Story by Kwame Agyenim Boateng
