Advancing Sustainable Trade Networks in Developing Regions: On the Ethicality of Solar Powered Autonomous Aircraft in Facilitating West African Intra-Regional Trade of Agricultural Commodities

Regional trade in Africa is an underexploited avenue for development. As of 2022, regional trade comprised only 12% of Africa’s economic activity. To compare, in the same year, Europe’s regional trade made up 60% of its economic activity and 40% in Asia. The main barrier to African economies is the inadequacy of local road and rail infrastructure. Moreover, restrictive border crossings and bureaucratic formalities create challenges for scheduled shipment. It is found that the advent of sustainable, low-cost drones could serve as a viable method of transport for underdeveloped African regions. UAVs are not restricted by road and rail networks, nor do they necessitate ground border checks. Solar UAVs would boast incredibly low-cost operations and would require minimal pre-existing electrical or storage facilities since they charge in their environment and can remain in the air almost indefinitely. The present research explores how the introduction of these vehicles in West African regions could take place ethically and identifies potential effects of unmanned aerial trade on local economies, regional diplomatic relations, and border/airspace policies.