Dubai’s state utility has said it plans to expand an initiative for the use of drones to drive efficiency across its infrastructure projects.
Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA) said it aims to expand its Sirb (Arabic for fleet) initiative further as part of the UAE’s campaign to use technology to improve people’s lives.
“We have launched the Sirb initiative to support the National Innovation Strategy… to make the UAE one of the most innovative countries in the world within seven years. This will contribute to providing easier and more user-friendly services according to the highest international standards to achieve the happiness of all society,” said Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer, managing director and CEO of DEWA.
DEWA said it has already started using the unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) to check on the photovoltaic panels atop its sustainable building in Al Quoz.
In a statement, the company said UAVs save considerable time and effort as they completely scan the building’s roof in less than five minutes.
Drones are also used to inspect the water cooling process in evaporators, enabling DEWA to operate without fully shutting them down for maintenance. DEWA also uses drones to regularly review its projects and obtain progress reports by taking panoramic pictures.
DEWA said it is looking into expanding the scope of its drone use. In addition to locating equipment, DEWA is experimenting with technology to detect overhead line insulator failures that can cause power outages.
“This initiative will greatly improve operational efficiency by accelerating operations, increasing safety during regular network testing and maintenance, and accurately detecting failures,” said Al Tayer.
“It will also help in monitoring generation, in field surveys for new projects, and in new connections for buildings and facilities in Dubai,” he added.
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