Adebayo Sunday, who’s become known in Kogi for building and flying remote-controlled planes says he gets inspiration in his dreams and imagination.
Sunday, a graduate of Kogi State College of Education (Technical), Kabba, has built five drones so far, without ever being exposed to technology-driven environment.
He said he had built several toys like helicopters and cars, before he eventually made up his mind to build something reasonable and not just toys which he had been doing from childhood.
”When I made up my mind to build something reasonable, that was when the idea of building a Remote Control (RC) Plane and drone came into my mind.
”I slept one day, and saw a sketch of a drone in my dream, and when I woke up, I was able to imagine the sketch and drew it on a cardboard, and since then, inspirations have been coming in my dreams and imagination”, he said.
Sunday, who studied metal works, explained that the first three to four drones he made, flew and crash landed immediately after take-off, until the fifth attempt which eventually flew and landed successfully.
He said he had built up to four different RC planes such as Fixwings, Quadcopter, hexacopter drones, that had flown and landed successfully and could perform various functions.
”The surveillance drone plane I made recently can go a maximum of about 500 metres distance and 500 metres above sea level. It has a camera to record all its activities, and faster in the sky; it can fly about four to six minutes and eight minutes at risk level”, Sunday said.
He solicited for government and individuals’ support in terms of scholarship to study abroad and acquire more practical knowledge to advance his innovative capacity.
On Tuesday, Kogi state government pledged to support him.
The state’s Commissioner for Education, Science and Technology, Mr. Wemi Jones, gave the assurance the ministry would fasttrack his meeting with Governor Yahaya Bello.
”The talent is in the young man and we want to ensure that we do everything possible as a government to support him,” he said.
Jones emphasised that the young inventor’s story, showed that he had not been so privileged as all his schooling had been in the local environment.
”So, he is not as if he is such a child who has been so exposed to technology and ICT, that is why it is a clarion call.
”I am so glad that His Excellency sees it like that. So, the young man is going to get all the support that he needs to be able to take that innovation to another level”, he said.
He added that the student would meet with the Governor, after the ministry might have completed its own process.
”The governor is usually encouraged when he sees young people who are doing great things; this is one of those things, and the Governor will definitely support”.
(NAN)
