Nepal Flying Labs Awarded by TIACA Air Cargo Sustainability Award 2020:
The International Air Cargo Association (TIACA) has announced Nepal Flying Lab and Pelican Biothermal as winners of the TIACA Air Cargo Sustainability Award 2020 sponsored by Champ Cargo Systems. TIACA is a unique international for-profit organization, representing all segments of the air cargo industry. Shippers, forwarders, airports, manufacturers, IT providers, etc. The purpose of the award is to encourage outstanding business initiatives that are bringing stability to air cargo.
Nepal Flying Labs won the start-up quota, which operates humanitarian and medical cargo drones in remote areas of Nepal. As an upcoming start-up, Nepal Fly Labs will receive a 10,000 Dollar prize. The two runners-up Bion IoT and Drone Delivery Canada will each receive 2,500 dollars. Pelican Biothermal was honored in the corporate category for its durable and reusable temperature-controlled shipping containers. Pelican Biothermal has won a one-year free membership to the TIACA 10,000 Dollar Sustainability Strategic Partnership Program.
Nepal Flying Labs is a social enterprise that leads the use of drones in Nepal primarily for humanitarian work and public health and is currently the first and one Nepali chapter of the Global Flying Labs network which is currently in 32 countries. Nepal Flying Labs also won the AUVSI XCELLENCE Award 2020 in the humanitarian and public safety category by presenting the Medical Drone Project in October 2020. The project has collected sputum through drones for TB testing in the Pyuthan district.
During the integrated air cargo session, on the last day of the Digital Air Cargo Forum, Biplav Pangeni, Program Director of Nepal Flying Labs, received the award. "For sustainable development goals, it is important for every citizen to connect with and easily achieve the life-saving resources they need. We, therefore, plan to measure our drone cargo technology in other rural locations and establish a network of medical cargo drones to assist more people in the coming days. For that, we are looking for a partnership with an organization that wants to work in Nepal. It is said that drones are the future of air cargo but I believe that drones are the present of air cargo delivery and we are using it to save lives in Nepal. ” Biplav Pangeni said in his acceptance speech.
“All participants presented advanced and diverse solutions for sustainability in the air cargo industry, including carbon and waste reduction, drones, humanitarian aid, packages, ULDs, process efficiency, person focus, and COVID-19 relief. With global epidemics hitting the industry hard this year, problem-solving and forward-thinking companies like Pelican Biothermal and Nepal Flying Labs have raised hopes that air cargo can come out of the crisis, ”said Celine Orcade, TIACA's director of transition and head of stability.
The winning group of independent judges represents TIACA’s Sustainability Strategic Partnership, which includes members of CHAMP CargoSystem, Turkey Cargo, TRransOM, Brussels Airport, and Flexport, as well as TIACA members.
“It is a real honor for us to support the Sustainability Program and we are proud of our strategic partnership with TIACA and our special sponsorship of these important awards. The coronavirus epidemic is probably the biggest challenge facing our industry but it is also an opportunity for a fresh start. Digitization, innovation, and new technology are all elements that need to be incorporated into our business plan and built into a more sustainable future. ”Says Chris McDermott, CEO of CHAMP Cargosystems.
All award finalists presented their products and solutions in the digital edition of the TIACA Air Cargo Forum (ACF) on December 2, followed by online voting by TIACA members for the start-up category. The winners were announced online on December 10 at the closing ceremony of the ACF. Covid-19 An individual ceremony is planned for another collective TIACA event in 2021, following the easing of restrictions.
