{"id":55538,"date":"2025-09-08T15:37:28","date_gmt":"2025-09-08T15:37:28","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/new.igihe.com\/how-trl-group-is-shaping-drone-manufacturing-for-civilian-and-defence\/"},"modified":"2025-09-11T13:14:49","modified_gmt":"2025-09-11T13:14:49","slug":"how-trl-group-is-shaping-drone-manufacturing-for-civilian-and-defence","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/new.igihe.com\/english\/how-trl-group-is-shaping-drone-manufacturing-for-civilian-and-defence\/","title":{"rendered":"How TRL Group is shaping drone manufacturing for civilian and defence applications in Rwanda"},"content":{"rendered":"

Today, the spotlight is on TRL Group, a Czech Republic\u2013based company that has expanded footprints in Africa through its subsidiary in Rwanda, TRL Space Rwanda. <\/p>\n

The company has two divisions including TRL Space, which develops satellites, and TRL Drones, which manufactures drones for agriculture, security, and defense.<\/p>\n

TRL Group recently showcased its technologies at the 9th edition of the Aviation Africa Summit and Exhibition in Kigali, where President Paul Kagame visited its exhibition stand. <\/p>\n

TRL\u2019s satellites are launched into orbit to observe global activity. They monitor agricultural growth, detect crop diseases, analyze soil conditions, and assess construction activities\u2014including identifying unauthorized buildings. <\/p>\n

The satellites, powered by artificial intelligence, process large volumes of data and generate actionable insights. <\/p>\n

The company\u2019s drones complement satellite systems by providing more detailed, ground-level data. On a 5,000-hectare farm, for example, satellites can give an overview of crop health, while drones can pinpoint specific diseases or localized problems.<\/p>\n

\"TRL<\/figure>\n

Founded by Petr Kapoun, TRL Group entered Rwanda three years ago to take advantage of the country\u2019s innovation-friendly environment. Within a year, it had launched production of drones for agriculture and security, alongside satellite services for multiple sectors.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe reason we have those two divisions is to combine all the data, since satellites provide a wide view of the land while drones deliver detailed information,\u201d said Kapoun highlighting the company\u2019s dual approach. <\/p>\n

Artificial intelligence drives both systems, enabling them to detect risks and provide critical information.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe came to Rwanda with the vision of making it a hub for satellites and drones in Africa,\u201d Kapoun noted. <\/p>\n

TRL manufactures a wide range of drones. Among them are VTOL drones, which are fully electric and support agriculture and environmental protection. These models can fly at speeds of up to 250 km\/h and cover areas within a 200 km radius.<\/p>\n

The company also produces military-grade drones designed for security and defense. These aircraft can carry payloads of up to 10 kilograms, including explosives, fly at speeds of 500 km\/h, and operate at altitudes of up to six kilometers.<\/p>\n

Equipped with advanced engines and radar systems, they can detect and respond to threats in real time.<\/p>\n

Annual output will depend on demand, but Kapoun pointed to the company\u2019s capacity in Europe as a benchmark: \u201cIn the Czech Republic, we produce 200 drones per month. Since Rwanda will serve as our African headquarters, we expect to surpass that figure as we expand across the continent. However, it will take some time and depend on the customers.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"Petr<\/figure>\n

Currently, TRL Group operates a small assembly facility for drones. In 2026, it will begin constructing a larger factory in Rwanda, with completion expected in about two years. While some components will be imported, others will be sourced locally.<\/p>\n

The company has already trained 10 Rwandan specialists in drone and satellite production, with a target of 50 in the near future. These experts will work in both manufacturing and operations, creating high-value jobs.<\/p>\n

TRL is also equipping drones with advanced imaging systems, enabling them to capture visual data even when signal connections are disrupted.<\/p>\n

The company works closely with the Rwanda Civil Aviation Authority (RCAA) and national security institutions.<\/p>\n

Drone prices vary by design and capability. For example, a VTOL drone with a three-meter wingspan can cost up to $250,000.<\/p>\n

Although TRL initially focused on civilian applications, Kapoun emphasized that the shift to security followed naturally.<\/p>\n

\u201cFirst of all, the company was founded to serve civilian purposes. The defense aspect came naturally because once we developed technologies for agriculture and the environment, it became clear they could also be applied to other areas, such as border surveillance,\u201d he said. <\/p>\n

Smaller drones run on electric power, while long-range models use fuel engines, offering flexibility for different missions.<\/p>\n

\"TRL<\/figure>\n
\"TRL<\/figure>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Rwanda is steadily advancing its aviation sector, with a particular focus on drone technology for both civilian and military applications. The journey began with Zipline drones, which transformed the delivery of medical supplies and livestock services. A decade later, Rwanda became the first African country to introduce self-flying air taxis known as electric Vertical Take-Off and Landing vehicles (eVTOLs), manufactured by Chinese company EHang. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":62,"featured_media":2000094059,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[75],"byline":[170],"hashtag":[],"class_list":["post-55538","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news","tag-homenews","byline-igihe"],"bylines":[{"id":170,"name":"IGIHE","slug":"igihe","description":"","image":{"id":0,"url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/?s=96&d=mm&f=y&r=g","alt":"Default avatar","title":"Default avatar","caption":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","sizes":[]},"user_id":8}],"contributors":[{"id":170,"name":"IGIHE","slug":"igihe","description":"","image":{"id":0,"url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/?s=96&d=mm&f=y&r=g","alt":"Default avatar","title":"Default avatar","caption":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","sizes":[]},"user_id":8}],"featured_image":{"id":2000094059,"url":"https:\/\/en-images.igihe.com\/IMG\/logo\/dfr.jpg","alt":"","caption":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","width":0,"height":0,"sizes":{"thumbnail":{"url":"https:\/\/en-images.igihe.com\/IMG\/logo\/dfr.jpg","width":1,"height":1},"medium":{"url":"https:\/\/en-images.igihe.com\/IMG\/logo\/dfr.jpg","width":1,"height":1},"medium_large":{"url":"https:\/\/en-images.igihe.com\/IMG\/logo\/dfr.jpg","width":1,"height":1},"large":{"url":"https:\/\/en-images.igihe.com\/IMG\/logo\/dfr.jpg","width":1,"height":1},"full":{"url":"https:\/\/en-images.igihe.com\/IMG\/logo\/dfr.jpg","width":0,"height":0}}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/new.igihe.com\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/55538","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/new.igihe.com\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/new.igihe.com\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/new.igihe.com\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/62"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/new.igihe.com\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=55538"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/new.igihe.com\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/55538\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/new.igihe.com\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2000094059"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/new.igihe.com\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=55538"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/new.igihe.com\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=55538"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/new.igihe.com\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=55538"},{"taxonomy":"byline","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/new.igihe.com\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/byline?post=55538"},{"taxonomy":"hashtag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/new.igihe.com\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/hashtag?post=55538"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}