Da Nang is planning to use unmanned drones to manage its urban spaces and natural resources.

Da Nang from above. Photo by VnExpress Photo Contest/Le Quang Thien

The idea of using unmanned drones, also known as UAV (unmanned aerial vehicles), for urban management was recently proposed by construction officials to municipal authorities.

Municipal People’s Committee Chairman Huynh Duc Tho has approved the plan, saying that the city will purchase 2 unmanned drones to conduct a variety of tasks, including detecting illegal construction and monitoring mining.

The drones, which may have a multi-billion dong price-tag, will be fitted with cameras to scan and gather data.

“Software will automatically calculate all the data gathered, from the heights of building to the area of land,” said Tho. By checking for discrepancies with existing data, “the drones will alert us if they detect new buildings that have been illegally constructed.”

By ruling out human factor, the drones will help improve transparency, Tho added.

In the 1^st stage, Da Nang will use one drone to monitor land clearance for the relocation project of a train station in Lien Chieu District.

The other drone will survey mining operations in Cam Le District. “The UAV will scan the mine and compare data with the map provided by the city’s Department of Natural Resources and the Environment to determine the amount of tax the mining company needs to pay,” said Tho.

(Source:VnExpress/International)