Denis Opudo
Yonah is a Singapore based startup that got its name from a Hebrew language meaning a dove. The startup wants to major into functions that symbolize its name. Therefore, the startup targets to develop a cargo drone delivery system. This will help in delivering measles vaccines to rural areas in Papua New Guinea. The delivery will be mainly achieved through reliable and sustainable means. Therefore, the startup will ensure that it takes healing and comfort at any place where it lands. Papua New Guinea is a country that is vulnerable to the wrath of nature. This is mainly in the form of earthquakes, tidal waves, and volcanoes. The country is located in the second largest islands in the world on the New Guinea Island.
According to Ong Tian Chang, Yonah’s co-founder the idea of the startup came when he was still working for Subnero. During his time there the startup was working on underground water wireless communications in 2015. By then he already had an interest in cargo drone but did not have an idea of how to kick-start the project. Later on, he learned of a Christian NGO known as Mission Aviation Fellowship (MAF). He started to contact MAF through email. The contact aimed at inquiring more about their projects and how he could be a participant. From the NGO’s website, its pilots use Kodiak and Cessnas in delivering doctors and doctors. They also use the two to deliver Bible translators, evangelists, disaster relief, agriculture, food supplies and clean water projects to remote areas. These are areas where people cannot access the basic needs in their daily basis.
Chang decided to quit Subnero at the start of 2016. After which he got an invitation from MAF to go and observe their operations in Australia and Cairns. He got a request to take himself with an extra person. That is how he and Mr. Sim Zhi Min come to know each other after Min learned of Chang’s plans to have 18 day trip to PNG and Cairns. Min volunteered to go along with Chung. He says that they strictly had 18 days build a friendship of which they did successfully. In March 2016 they were ready to kick-start their trip and they visited the Kompiam Rural Hospital in PNG. From the hospital’s website, together with the other 10 health centers and aid posts, they are located in the remote north of Enga Province. Enga is one of the most disadvantaged areas in the PNG.
Chang took four days to study Dr. David Mills. The study was to help him learn more about the operations of the hospital and how he could be of help to them. Meanwhile, Min decided to visit a different remote health facility during the visit. They learned that the distance between various health facilities and warehouse outposts looks near on a map. However, the physical terrain made it challenging to deliver health resources. Chang used his background knowledge about Brunei that he acquired back in National service where he worked as a Guardsman to bring out the real situation of PNG’s topography. He said that if one thinks Brunei’s topography was dense, then they are yet to see PNG’s topography.
The two also learned that the logistic qualities used in the health facilities were not a top notch. The measles vaccines used to reach the places of delivery while not effective enough. This is because they store mainly done under warmer temperatures. The temperatures affected them. This is because storing was to take place in a refrigerated and a temperature of between 2 and 3 degrees Celsius. There are almost six such solar fridges that can help solve the problems. However, sometimes they fail to work, or the staffs on the ground do not know how to operate or maintain them. Chang said that the devices weigh between 100 and 200 kg and are less portable. Moreover, healthcare network depends on providers of logistics like MAF for deliveries. Since the flight schedules are subject to the arrangement in that each trip will be examined, makes the activities to be less fixed.
It then means that MAF first ensures that their return journey is a full one. This is before they commit themselves to making deliveries. For instance, MAF involves themselves in the picking of coffee or other products on their return journey. This is the challenges that the two based on to come up with Yonah back in 2016. According to Chang the startup assists rural based hospitals to deliver vaccines. This takes place by the use of cargo drones to minimize communicable diseases. He added that the startup’s team comprises six NUS undergraduates and the two of them who work as full-timers. The team comprises of students and alum of the National University of Singapore. The team is currently developing its cargo drone also known as a quad plane. The drone is in a position to take off and land vertically. Moreover, it is in a position to move forward and back while in space.
The design allows the startup to have two flight profiles. The role of one profile is to fly the vaccine package. The package is packed in a medical cooler box and deliver it to the destination. Moreover, it should be able to land the drone at the drop site. The landing helps the healthcare workers to carry out vaccination exercise. Yonah added Sriram Sami to its six undergraduates in August 2016. Sami is now among the startup’s core team and its leader of avionics. Chang added that Sami is the only person in the team who is actively involved in developing and testing autopilot software. The software is based on Ardupilot project which is an open air source. According to him, Sami called for more duty rather than just doing engineering for the sake of it. He wanted to use his computer science knowledge to make an impact personally. The prototype cargo drone should be complete by the second half of 2018. The team is looking forward to piloting the device in PNG and note its development.
Chang said that the startup had received sponsorship from the DSO National Laboratories and Bosch, a technology supplier. The sponsorship has been of much help to the startup’s drastic development. Bosch announced in May that it had offered Yonah financial support, technology, and product sponsorship. Moreover, it offered the startup technical device, training and consultation. Chang added that DSO is their main and first ever sponsor. DSO offered the startup a sponsor deal worth five figures in December 2016. Furthermore, it committed itself to the second round of sponsorship in December 2017.
