NNTC has contributed to arranging environmental monitoring in the Ajman Municipality, Environment and public health department, of which now uses UGCS-powered automated drone management system to proactively monitor mangrove forests and territories near manufacturing enterprises, densely populated areas, and landfills. UGCS-controlled drones automate the above job, improving its speed and quality. Drones regularly survey certain locations and gather data for operators to track changes over time and make decisions, while UGCS software enables data collection in order to then create detailed maps and track environmental changes in the area.

The project was completed in July 2019 and included two phases: deployment and customer training. During the deployment phase, specialists set up the UGCS management system and flight routes. At the training phase, pilots learned how to use the drone management system, map a surveyed area, update ecological and altitude maps, and respond to emergency. To make the most of the system, the customer is going to use two drones, with two pilots operating the UGCS system.

“Drones is an optimal solution for our tasks. The initial implementation was successful, and in the future, the solution could be expanded with AI data processing, smarter drones and more sensors. The system proved to be efficient, flexible and user-friendly,” – said Pavel Tatarintsev, NNTC R&D Head.

Ajman has become the first emirate of the UAE to leverage a drone-aided solution for environmental protection. After the project success, it will be time to study artificial intelligence capabilities in drone data processing as a way to speed up emergency response and prevent environmental threats in the region.