Kenya’s leadership in geospatial technology and environmental monitoring has received global recognition after the Directorate of Resource Surveys and Remote Sensing (DRSRS) was honoured with two prestigious international awards by STAR.VISION Aerospace Group Limited. The awards: The Oriental Club VIP Award and the OSE Plaque Award highlight the country’s growing footprint in the field of remote sensing.
The Director of DRSRS, Dr. Moses Akali, who received the awards during a ceremony held at the Directorate’s headquarters in Nairobi lauded the recognition as both a national and institutional achievement.
The event coincided with the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between DRSRS and the Flight Training Centre (FTC), aimed at advancing Kenya’s capabilities in airborne geospatial data acquisition.
“These awards are not only a recognition of our past achievements; they are a challenge for us to continue pushing the boundaries of innovation in remote sensing and geospatial intelligence. I thank STAR.VISION for their confidence in our team and reaffirm our commitment to developing practical, technology-driven solutions for sustainable development,” said Dr. Akali.
Speaking during the MoU signing, Captain Gordon Wachira, a senior representative from FTC, pledged full support for the success of the partnership.
Captain Wachira underscored the importance of safety, professionalism, and precision in aerial mapping operations saying: “We at FTC have heavily invested in training highly skilled pilots and technical personnel for aerial mapping and survey missions. We believe that the best safety measure is a well-trained pilot, and we are proud to bring that level of readiness and commitment to our collaboration with DRSRS.”
On behalf of STAR.VISION, Mr. Titus Kiragu stated that the two awards serve as recognition of DRSRS’s leadership and Kenya’s growing readiness to embrace advanced space-based technologies.
“We are not just celebrating a partnership; we are acknowledging a results-driven and forward-looking institution. Kenya is now well-positioned to benefit from cutting-edge satellite solutions, including our Oriental Smart Eye (OSE) constellation and upcoming AI-powered platforms. We look forward to strengthening this partnership further,” he said.
Mr. Kiragu also revealed that discussions are underway for a joint satellite-based project to monitor wildlife and livestock habitats. He further announced plans to co-host a national multi-agency workshop focused on remote sensing applications.
Wrapping up the event, Principal Geo-Information Officer and Head of the Remote Sensing Division at DRSRS, Mr. Vincent Imala, emphasized the broader significance of the occasion.
“This is more than a celebration of awards. It is a reaffirmation of our shared vision with partners like STAR.VISION and FTC to harness geospatial technology for real-time, evidence-based decision-making. These partnerships reflect the government’s strategic focus on leveraging science, innovation, and collaboration to serve the public better,” Mr. Imala said.
The awards and new partnerships mark a significant milestone for Kenya’s geospatial capabilities and highlight the critical role of innovation, public-private cooperation, and international engagement in achieving the country’s development agenda.
By Jacqueline Adyang
