Namibia’s First ever Shell Card Drone Challenge Sparkles

WINDHOEK, 4 December 2019: Tony Rust racetrack on the outskirts of Windhoek was the scene for an entirely different kind of race on Friday, 29 November. More than 70 people converged on the iconic car racing track to witness Namibia’s first ever Shell Card Drone Challenge.

The event coincided with the re-launch of the Shell Card, a cashless payment option for Shell customers for its petroleum products and purchases from Shell Convenience Shops introduced in 2018. Much like the iconic Drones, the Shell Card is another innovation by Shell aptly depicting the efficiency presented by the Fourth Industrial Revolution.

The event was a spectacle that allowed stakeholders to watch from close quarters how a drone operates whilst demonstrating its many capabilities.

Organized by Vivo Energy Namibia, the event brought together drone pilots, Namibia Civil Aviation Authority and a very eager Namibian public. A total number of eight (8) drone operators entered the Challenge, which was comprised of an obstacle course that they had to complete in the fasted possible time.

Overall winner, Yochanaan Coetzee from Namibia Media Holdings expressed his gratitude to Shell and Vivo Energy Namibia for organizing the challenge. “I am happy with the win and am looking forward to the challenge next year. These type of challenges are what the future is really all about and we hope to see and participate in more of these type of activities”, he said.

The full results were as follows:

Yochanaan Coetzee from Team Namibia Media Holdings, in a time of 01:35.85

Ruan De Wet from Team Aerial Solutions, in a time of 02:02.35

Zano Van Wyk from Team Stumba Media, in a time of 02:15:26

Managing Director of Vivo Energy Namibia, Edward Walugembe, reiterated Vivo Energy Namibia’s emphasis on innovation, efficiency and overall client-focus before launching the challenge. “The Shell Card represents the ease with which we want our customers to access our products and services.

The security features on the card are meant to provide peace of mind to our clients while transacting at any of our more than 60 Shell Service stations across the country”, he said.

This inaugural event was put together in close collaboration with the Namibia Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), who facilitated the risk assessment, issued Remote Piloted Aircraft licenses and cleared the airspace for the event.