The Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) has commissioned a new Drone Technology and Simulation Centre to equip students and the public with hands-on training in drone operations and digital agriculture.

Costing over $400,000, the Centre is a product of collaboration between KNUST and the Mastercard Foundation, championed by the university’s E-Learning Ambassador, Daniel Faahene Acquaye. It operates under the E-Learning Centre, which falls within the Office of the Vice-Chancellor’s digital transformation agenda.

The Faahene Acquaye Drone Technology and Simulation Centre features 11 drones and a mix of physical and virtual spaces. Its mission goes beyond education offering key services in agricultural monitoring, data collection, and precision spraying. By automating these tasks, the Centre aims to help reduce farming costs by up to 30 percent.

“Technology is no longer optional it’s essential,” said Acquaye at the launch. “Drone systems allow us to monitor vast farmlands, improve decision-making, and create new opportunities for youth and communities.”

The Centre is open not only to KNUST students, but also learners from other institutions and professionals seeking drone skills for industrial or agricultural use.

The inauguration formed part of activities marking KNUST’s 2025 E-Learning Week, which brought together students, tech enthusiasts, and educators from across the Ashanti Region to explore innovation in education and digital inclusion.

KNUST Vice-Chancellor, Professor Rita Akosua Dickson, emphasized the university’s commitment to ensuring no student is left behind in the digital shift. She highlighted recent efforts such as distributing over 600 laptops and integrating online assessments for more than 50,000 students.

The Ministry of Communication and Digitalisation also reaffirmed its support for accessible learning through technology, citing progress in rolling out 4G infrastructure to over 2,000 underserved communities.

Director of KNUST E-Learning, Professor Eric Apau Asante, described the Drone Centre as part of a larger effort to blend innovation with equity and ethical responsibility.

This year’s E-Learning Week was held under the theme: “Transformation through Responsible Innovation and Inclusion in the Digital Era.”