Conditional trust: Community perceptions of drone use in malaria control in Zanzibar

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Environmental Science
• Technology and Innovation

Background:

• Drones show promise for public health interventions, including malaria vector control.
• Community perceptions and engagement are often overlooked despite regulatory requirements for drone operations.
• Understanding community acceptance is vital for the ethical and effective deployment of drones in public health.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess community perceptions of drone use in public health interventions.
• To explore community acceptance and identify engagement strategies for drone deployment.
• To evaluate the cost-effectiveness of community engagement for drone initiatives.

Main Methods:

• A community engagement framework was developed using participatory research in Zanzibar, Tanzania.
• Drone use for mapping mosquito breeding sites was the focus of the initiative.
• Perceptions were mapped across three communities involving 778 participants from diverse stakeholder groups.

Main Results:

• High levels of acceptance and trust were observed for drone use in public health research.
• Community support was conditional, with a strong demand for pre-deployment information and regular updates.
• Community governance consent and ongoing communication were identified as essential for maintaining trust.

Conclusions:

• Community perception mapping and engagement should be a prerequisite for all public health drone applications.
• A well-defined community engagement plan is essential for building and maintaining trust and acceptability.
• Investing in community engagement strategies is recommended for successful drone deployment in public health.