SORA Technology Harnesses AI-Powered Drones to Combat Malaria in Africa

Aerial Innovation Against Malaria

SORA Technology, a Japanese startup based in Nagoya, has successfully raised $2.5 million in a late-seed funding round to expand its drone-based malaria control efforts in Africa. This capital injection, announced in early 2026, brings the company's total funding to approximately $7.3 million. The funding round saw participation from major investors including the Daiwa House Group Investment Limited Partnership and UNERI Capital Fund Series I.

Malaria continues to be a massive global health challenge, causing over 600,000 deaths annually, primarily in Africa. Traditional methods of finding mosquito breeding sites involve manual labor and walking through difficult terrain to find puddles. SORA Technology changes this dynamic by using automation to identify and treat these sites before mosquitoes even reach maturity.

The company utilizes fixed-wing drones that fly about 100 meters above the ground to scan large areas efficiently. These drones are preferred over standard quadcopters because they have a longer flight range and higher energy efficiency. This hardware serves as the eye for health ministries, covering vast distances that would be impossible to monitor on foot.

The Role of Artificial Intelligence

Once the drones capture high-resolution imagery, the data is processed by proprietary AI algorithms. This system analyzes water bodies for specific characteristics such as depth, temperature, and surrounding vegetation to determine if they are suitable for larvae. The AI then generates a risk ranking, allowing field teams to focus their efforts only on the most dangerous puddles. This targeted approach is significantly more efficient than traditional blanket spraying techniques used in the past. By using AI to guide interventions, SORA Technology reports a 70 percent reduction in insecticide usage and a 50 percent decrease in operational costs. This makes the solution highly scalable for health departments that need to manage limited budgets effectively.

Regional Expansion and Strategic Growth

Currently, SORA is operational in more than 10 African countries, including Sierra Leone, Ghana, and Mozambique. In Mozambique, the startup is working with the World Health Organization and local health ministries to integrate drone data into national disease control frameworks. These collaborations ensure that the technology complements existing public health infrastructure rather than operating in isolation. Looking ahead, the company plans to use the fresh capital to further refine its AI detection capabilities and expand its local workforce. Beyond malaria, SORA is exploring dual-use strategies in precision agriculture and environmental monitoring to ensure long-term financial sustainability. This evolution positions the company as a provider of critical social infrastructure rather than just a hardware manufacturer.