Progress of infrastructure projects being built in Dubai will be monitored by drones, the Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) has announced.
The move is part of RTA’s efforts to have up-to-date and accurate information about all projects simultaneously using the latest technology.
Implementation of the technology follows the directives of His Highness Shaikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, in an effort to transform Dubai into the smartest city world-wide.
“Launching the drone service is a practical response to the directives of His Highness Shaikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum to serve the people. Bringing happiness to people is one of our strategic goals. The initiative of His Highness has also opened up for us wider vistas and new horizons to serve the people,” said Abdullah Al Madani, CEO of RTA’s Corporate Technical Support Services Sector.
He added that RTA conducted a practical test run by flying a drone to monitor the implementation phases of Jumeirah Beach Walkway Project, street lighting units, and completed phases of the Dubai Water Canal project.
“The test has several benefits as it has provided us with a holistic view of the sites and projects to follow up the completion phases. The drone service can also be used in cases of crisis and emergencies on the roads to monitor the adverse impacts on a large scale, which ultimately serves residents of Dubai,” Al Madani said.
Highlighting the benefits and advantages of the drone service, he said: “It has the ability to reach places inaccessible by conventional human means such as work teams. Examples of such inaccessible places are the upper parts of the Metro stations, and underneath bridges to inspect or identify the parts that need maintenance.”
The remotely controlled device is capable of taking images of more than one location as the aircraft is programmable to access a series of places and take photos.
Gulf News
9 October