By Daniel Abia, P/Harcourt

There was a great excitement in the premises of the Nigeria LNG Limited (NLNG) Corporate Head office in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, has officially commissioned Nigeria’s first commercial Mobile Drone Operations Command Centre (MDOC).

Developed by Arco Worldwide Services (AWS), the MDOC represents a landmark achievement in adapting advanced aerospace technology to protect national infrastructure.

The MDOC, produced through a strategic partnership between NLNG and Arco, marks a significant milestone in Nigeria’s growing ability to deliver world-class engineering and aviation solutions powered by indigenous expertise.

Speaking at the commissioning ceremony, the Managing Director of Arco Worldwide

Services, Mr. Okosubide Mozimo while commending NLNG for its forward-thinking support, traced the evolution of the project, while also noting that AWS’s aviation subsidiary, Arco Aviation Academy (AAA), has moved aggressively to close the gap in drone training and operations since 2025.

He explained that Arco began working with NLNG in 2020, when drone operations were largely nomadic. “Our teams had to move from one location to another, manually setting up ground control stations every day.

This process took up to 90 minutes each morning. Fatigue would set in, equipment suffered wear and tear, and overall efficiency was affected,” Mozimo said.

These operational challenges led to the development of the MDOC. “The MDOC is a fully customized Mercedes-Benz Sprinter, retrofitted into a climate-controlled command hub.

It features in-house air conditioning, integrated green energy powered inverter systems, and a triple-monitor monitoring panel. From this single centre, we can monitor drone operations and communicate directly with air traffic control,” he said, commending NLNG for its forward-thinking support.

Also speaking at the event, the Chief Operating Officer of Arco Worldwide Services,

Mrs. Ann Temidara, expressed delight over the partnership, describing the project as a breakthrough for the Nigerian drone ecosystem.

“We are proud to be launching Nigeria’s first locally integrated mobile Ground

Control System,” she said. “While the aerial platforms are procured globally, the customization, structural integration, and operational optimization were performed entirely by Nigerian engineers to suit our specific environmental and service requirements.”

Providing technical insight, the Chief Technical Officer of Arco Worldwide Services,

Mr. Sunday Idajili, explained that the MDOC was designed to solve the ‘Last Mile’ connectivity gap.

“This system enables real-time aerial surveillance of pipelines with uninterrupted

Real time video feeds, streamed via Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellite systems to ensure stability even in remote areas,” Idajili said.

“The vehicle transports a five-man crew and the Sky Whale VTOL drone system, which boasts an impressive 3-hour endurance and a 60km operational range. This allows us to cover vast distances while airborne without requiring frequent battery swaps.”

He further revealed that the command centre operates on green energy. “By integrating high-capacity solar panels, an inverter system, and energy-efficient ground support equipment, we have created a fully green-energy solution.

This drone will significantly increase NLNG’s ability to detect and report encroachment and pipeline vandalization along its Right-of-Way (RoW) in real-time.”

Commissioning the MDOC System on behalf of NLNG, the General Manager,

Corporate Services, Engr. Ekeinde Ohiwerei, described the delivery as a testament

to NLNG’s commitment to Nigerian Content.

“Arco has been a reliable partner, and this project shows they are setting new standards in the industry,” Engr. Ohiwerei said.

“Drones play a critical role in infrastructure monitoring and addressing insecurity.

This indigenous solution demonstrates that investing in local talent delivers world[1]class results.”

The MDOC and Sky Whale VTOL drone have now been fully commissioned and are set for immediate deployment across NLNG’s facilities.