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From Tony John, Port Harcourt
The Nigeria Liquefied Natural Gas Limited (NLNG) and Arco Worldwide Services (AWS) have recorded a feat in the aviation industry with the recent commissioning of the country’s first commercial Mobile Drone Operations Command Centre (MDOC) in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.
The MDOC was developed by Arco Worldwide Services in partnership with NLNG, representing a landmark achievement in the sector.
Speaking at the commissioning ceremony, the Managing Director of Arco Worldwide Services, Mr Okosubide Mozimo, commended NLNG for its forward-thinking support and evolution of the project.
Mozimo also noted that AWS aviation subsidiary, Arco Aviation Academy (AAA), has moved aggressively to close the gap in drone training and operations since 2025.
He said the MDOC, produced through a strategic partnership between NLNG and Arco, marked a significant milestone in Nigeria’s growing ability to deliver world-class engineering and aviation solutions powered by indigenous expertise.
He said the initiative was geared towards adapting advanced aerospace technology to protect critical national infrastructure.
“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-monitoring panel. From this single centre, we can monitor drone operations and communicate directly with air traffic control.”
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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.
She expressed: “We are proud to be launching Nigeria’s first locally integrated Mobile Ground Control System. 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.
He explained: “This system enables real-time aerial surveillance of pipelines with uninterrupted realtime video feeds, streamed via Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellite systems to ensure stability even in remote areas.
“The vehicle transports a five-man crew and the Sky Whale VTOL drone system, which boasts an impressive 3-hour endurance and a 60-kilometre operational range. This allows us to cover vast distances while airborne without requiring frequent battery swaps.”
“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 vandalism along its Right-of-Way (RoW) in real-time.”
Commissioning the MDOC system on behalf of NLNG, the General Manager, Corporate Services, Ekeinde Ohiwerei, described the delivery as a testament to NLNG’s commitment to Nigerian Content.
Ohiwerei stated: “Arco has been a reliable partner, and this project shows they are setting new standards in the industry.
