CHENNAI: Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC) has roped in Birdscale Technologies and Services, a startup company, to introduce drone-based real-time aerial monitoring of 35 km of drains in north Chennai.
The one-month pilot project, costing Rs 5.8 lakh, aims at curbing illegal sewer connections, garbage and debris dumping along the canals, and tracking desilting efforts while also addressing the spread of water hyacinths.
AI-enabled drones will monitor the canals, covering each spot once in every three days, operating 10-12 hours every day. They will cover areas that are inaccessible to human surveillance, providing real time footage to a dedicated portal. A report will be generated at the end of each day.
During the first week, the drones will operate at various times round the clock to identify peak hours for illegal dumping. This data will then be used to establish a fixed 12-hour monitoring schedule.
Hari Janarthanan, director and co-founder of Birdscale, said the drones, equipped with night vision, will fly at an altitude of 70 to 80 metres to monitor the canals. “In the first week, the drones will collect data on the current condition of the canals.
In the following weeks, the AI will automatically detect and locate garbage and debris, while also helping to identify the individuals responsible for illegal dumping. It also generates comparative reports, allowing us to analyse the data from the current day alongside previous days.”
A senior corporation official told TNIE, “By frequently monitoring the canals, we can easily identify problematic spots where illegal dumping takes place. While we do have vehicles to monitor these areas, they come with limitations. By using drones, we can locate illegal activities and also identify the individuals responsible and take strict action.” The work is likely to start this month.
Though the system currently operates via a separate portal, the official indicated that integration with the Integrated Command and Control Centre might be considered in the future, depending on the project’s performance.
The initiative will be the first time drones are being used by the corporation to monitor canals at night time. This will also be used during the monsoon, with drones positioned to monitor flood-prone areas, enabling better water management and rescue efforts.
The solution offered by the company was identified during an event organised a few months ago by Startup TN, the government’s initiative to nurture the startup ecosystem, to showcase innovative solutions to address challenges faced by the corporation.