DOST: Drones can help with disaster response, agriculture

CEBU CITY, Philippines — Drone technology could soon play a bigger role in disaster response, agriculture, infrastructure inspection, and public safety.

The Department of Science and Technology (DOST) 7 launched the Central Visayas Drone Industry Development Action Plan on Monday, July 13, 2026.

DOST Secretary Renato U. Solidum Jr. said that the roadmap aims to prepare the region for wider adoption of unmanned aerial systems (UAS) by strengthening technical skills, aligning regulations, and promoting practical public service applications for UAS.

“The CV Drone Industry Development Action Plan bridges technical skills, local regulations, and public service applications in an emerging sector,” Solidum said.

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For Solidum, one of the most immediate benefits of drone technology would be its help in disaster response, particularly in isolated communities that become inaccessible during emergencies.

DOST eyes using drones to deliver emergency supplies

“Usec. Sancho and I, we were just in General Santos yesterday,” the secretary said, referring to Engr. Sancho A. Mabborang, DOST undersecretary for regional operations. “We talked to the Civil Defense Office in Sarangani Province.

“Many of the roads are along the coast. If landslides affect these, many communities inland would be trapped without supply, for their rescue, food, water. You cannot just use helicopters because there are not that too many. We need drone technology to carry this vital supply—food and water—to our kababayans (fellow Filipinos),” he said.

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Drones can help government responders immediately transport food, water, medicines, and other emergency supplies when conventional rescue vehicles cannot reach affected communities.

Solidum said that the technology also has applications beyond disaster management.

Another use: Inspecting construction projects

“There are two things that we wanted to look into: to develop startups or companies that produce drones and also to make sure that drone technology is used for various purposes like agriculture, disaster monitoring or response, or even in construction monitoring,” the DOST chief explained.

“Malalaman mo kung totong merong ginagawa—or even sa mga ibang bansa, tinitingnan ‘yung mga bridges o ‘yung mga building na tinatayo using drones. So, both ways: drone development and drone application,” he said.

(You can determine whether work is actually being done. In other countries, drones are also used to inspect bridges and buildings under construction. So, we are pursuing both drone development and drone application.)

He said that drones can be used to monitor farms, inspect bridges and buildings, and improve government monitoring of public works.

Collecting data for better decisions

Solidum also explained that artificial intelligence (AI) increases the value of drone technology by transforming collected data into useful information.

“AI kasi. (The reason is AI.) Now, drones, drone technology would be the vehicle to gather data. Once you gather data, then you can use artificial intelligence to process the data. So, ‘yun po ‘yung relationship (So, that’s the relationship).”

“For example, in agricultural areas, you use drone technology, either flying or a robot, to get images of agricultural crops so that we can evaluate their growth and detect diseases. The disease can be identified using the optical image so that they (farmers) can be provided with the right pesticide,” Secretary Solidum also said.

He added that the same technology can also be used to inspect critical infrastructure.

Bringing drone industry stakeholders together

“There are drone technologies used to scan bridges, scan buildings to detect faults or cracks,” he said.

To support these applications, DOST-7 Regional Director Tristan Abando said that the roadmap will focus on building the region’s drone ecosystem.

“The first action… is to create the entire ecosystem so that we can be more prepared in the adoption of the drone or UAS technologies,” Abando said.

He said that the DOST plans to establish a Drone Industry Alliance. This would bring together government agencies, businesses, researchers, software developers, the academe, and potential users to harmonize initiatives supporting the drone industry.

Building skills for developing, using drones

The roadmap also includes training and capacity-building programs to develop a skilled workforce capable of operating and developing drone technologies.

Solidum said that the DOST is also looking at developing a homegrown drone industry alongside expanding its applications.

When he was asked how many companies have committed to drone production in Cebu, the DOST chief said, “Wala pa. ‘Yun pa lang dinidevelop kasi kailangan mong magkaroon ng skill.”

Science and technology innovations

(None yet. The industry is still being developed because we need to build the necessary skills first.)

He further said that the DOST has funded several universities developing aerial and aquatic drones. It has also encouraged higher education institutions to commercialize their research. They can do that by creating startup companies that can contribute to the country’s growing drone industry.

The roadmap’s launch took place at the opening of the 2026 Regional Science, Technology, and Innovation Week.

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