Selangor mulls using drones, AI to assess trees, potholes

KLANG: The Selangor government will conduct a feasibility study to use drones and artificial intelligence (AI) to assess trees, potholes and various infrastructure within the 12 local authorities in the state in an effort to ensure systematic and efficient maintenance.

Selangor Senior State Executive Councillor Datuk Teng Chang Khim said the drones would be useful for the local authorities to predict risks especially when a tree might fall in the event of a heavy thunderstorm.

“The data collected by the drone on all the trees and potholes will be analysed using artificial intelligence where it makes it easier for us to ascertain the actual physical condition of the trees and potholes for easier maintenance.

“Through the information gathered, we will know how many trees that are beyond the age of 30 years that are growing too close to power lines and need to be trimmed,” he told Bernama after meeting the residents of Bandar Baharu Klang here who were affected by the recent storm which hit several parts of Klang on Oct 1.

Teng said the project to use drones to assess trees and potholes would be initiated by the Selangor Information Technology and ECommerce Council (SITEC) where a pilot project at one of the local councils would assess the true effectiveness of the project.

He said the project was needed as currently there were workers from local councils in Selangor undertake maintenance jobs of infrastructure based on public complaints wherelse this project helps the local council identify basic infrastructure that needed to be upgraded beforehand.

Meanwhile, Teng who is Bandar Baharu Klang assemblyman, said he has identified eight locations under the constituency which needed urgent cleanup due to the storm on Oct 1, among others in Lorong Kenari in Taman Berkeley, Jalan Kakak Tua and Lorong Tiong in Taman Eng Ann, Klang.