defenceWeb Written by defenceWeb - Loading a UAV ahead of take-off. Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), popularly known as drones, are providing lifesaving care to women in remote parts of Botswana, who face the possibility of death in childbirth. An initiative to curb preventable maternal deaths and overcome geographic barriers led by the Botswana Ministry of Health and Wellness, the Botswana International University of Science and Technology (BIUST) and supported by the United Nations, plans to ârevolutioniseâ delivery of essential medical supplies and services across the country. Two years ago the country recorded a maternal mortality rate of 166 deaths per 100 000 births, over double the average for upper middle income countries, a UN statement said, adding women in remote communities were more at risk.