Dubai Municipality deploys smart robot for geospatial surveys

Dubai: Dubai Municipality has deployed a smart robot to carry out geospatial surveys, using LiDAR technology and smart cameras to collect accurate location data with limited human intervention.

The system can continuously gather field information, including precise coordinates, panoramic images, video and three-dimensional data. The information is used to keep Dubai’s spatial databases up to date and support infrastructure projects, asset management, urban planning and government decision-making.

The technology is also designed to make surveying safer and more efficient by reducing the need for workers to enter difficult-to-access locations or areas where highly precise measurements are required.

472 days saved at housing project

Dubai Municipality said the robot has already delivered significant results at the Wadi Al Amardi Housing Project for UAE nationals. It was used to carry out final surveys of completed homes and support the issuing of final survey certificates.

The deployment saved a combined 472 days in customer waiting time and cut operating costs by 90%. It also reduced fieldwork by 24 days and office work by 40 hours.

Eng. Maitha Al Nuaimi, Director of the GIS Centre Department at Dubai Municipality, said the robot was part of efforts to improve the speed and accuracy of collecting spatial data.

She said the technology would help ensure that geospatial information remains accurate and up to date, while supporting the delivery of government services.

Eng. Saeed Al Falasi, Director of the Survey Department at Dubai Municipality, said the use of smart surveying technology would help modernise field operations, speed up data collection and make it easier to update spatial information.

From 2D surveys to detailed 3D data

The robot combines several surveying tools to create detailed digital records of buildings and other assets. Its outputs include panoramic imagery and highly accurate 3D point clouds, giving surveyors a more complete view of structures, including their façades.

Dubai Municipality said the shift from conventional two-dimensional survey data to detailed 3D models would make the information more useful for engineering, planning and other geospatial work.

The data can also be reused for future projects, improving the long-term value of each survey and helping teams complete work faster with more reliable information.