Drone Technology in Health and Safety Inspections across Developing Countries: A Critical Review and Implications for South Africa

South Africa, facing high accident rates in industries such as mining and construction alongside persistent disparities in healthcare access between urban and rural areas, presents a critical case for exploring lessons from international contexts. This study undertook a systematic literature review guided by the PRISMA framework, searching four major databases—Scopus, Web of Science, PubMed, and Google Scholar—between January 2020 and March 2025. Boolean strings combining “drones,” “UAVs,” “health inspections,” “safety inspections,” and “developing countries” were used to refine results. After removing duplicates through EndNote and applying dual screening of titles, abstracts, and full texts, 456 articles were identified, 136 were screened in detail, and 30 met inclusion criteria. The review synthesised empirical case studies, policy analyses, and technological evaluations across Africa, Asia, and Latin America. The analysis identified two major themes: (1) the state of the art in drone applications for health and safety inspections; (2) emerging trends, challenges, and opportunities shaping adoption. Findings indicate that drones enhance inspections by reducing human exposure to hazardous environments, improve healthcare equity through last-mile logistics, and strengthen disaster preparedness. However, constraints include affordability, limited regulatory flexibility, and ethical concerns. This review contributes to the literature by extending previous UAV research—which often focused narrowly on medical logistics or industrial applications—into a comprehensive framework connecting health, safety, and governance in developing countries. The implications for South Africa suggest a phased adoption model supported by regulatory reform, skills development, innovative financing, and ethical safeguards.