SINGAPORE - An unmanned drone will soon be a common sight at six reservoirs here, as part of national water agency PUB's efforts to leverage technology for its daily operations.
A drone will first be deployed at MacRitchie and Marina reservoirs at the end of this month, with four others to be deployed at Serangoon, Kranji, Lower Seletar and Lower Peirce reservoirs in the third quarter of this year.
In a statement on Thursday (May 27), PUB said that the drones are equipped with remote-sensing systems and a camera for near real-time video analytics.
These features allow the drones to help observe water quality and also monitor water activities like fishing and paddling.
The six reservoirs were chosen based on the agency's operational needs, as well as other factors like the size and accessibility of the reservoirs and the presence of water activities, said a PUB spokesman.
For instance, Marina and MacRitchie reservoirs are popular for fishing and water activities, and using a drone there will allow PUB to monitor such activities more effectively, the spokesman added.
Currently, PUB officers conduct patrols daily, during which they look out for excessive growth of aquatic plants and algal blooms, and also ensure that water activities are being carried out safely.
PUB said that about 7,200 man-hours are spent on patrols every year at these six reservoirs. It estimates that about 5,000 man-hours will be saved by having unmanned drones assist the patrols.
Mr Yeo Keng Soon, director of PUB's Catchment and Waterways Department, said: "With the drones, we can channel manpower to more critical works such as the inspection and maintenance of reservoir gates, as well as pump and valve operations.
"The drones also act as an early warning system that enhances our response time to the myriad of issues that our officers grapple with on a daily basis."
PUB's drone deployment follows trials that were conducted last year with ST Engineering and uses the company's operating system, DroNet.
A software helps to analyse water quality, as well as uses video analytics to flag potential concerns like anglers fishing in non-designated areas.
Thereafter, alerts are sent to officers' mobile phones via messaging app Telegram.
This allows the officers to respond in a timely manner and quickly attend to urgent cases that may pose a danger to the public, said PUB.
Addressing concerns that the public may have on their safety or privacy, PUB said that each drone is equipped with a redundancy system that prevents total failure of the drone. This means that each drone is equipped with backup systems to enhance its reliability.
Should emergencies arise, operators are also prepared to take over the drones and land them in the water as a last resort, away from human traffic.
PUB added that cameras installed on the drones are used solely for its operational needs, and that personal data in any form - including facial recognition - will not be collected.
Drone flights will take place four days a week at regular intervals throughout the day at Marina and MacRitchie reservoirs, where the drones will take off autonomously.
Meanwhile, flights will take place on one or two days per week at the other four reservoirs, where drones will be launched manually before flying autonomously.
PUB said the drones will fly on pre-programmed flight paths over the water body, and will stay clear of residential areas.
