UAE: How drones will help make Abu Dhabi’s deserts greener – News

Drones that can seed an area the size of more than 100 football fields a day will be used to make Abu Dhabi greener. Each seeding drone is capable of transporting 53 species at a time. Drones can record the exact planting location of each bag of seeds and monitor the success of the restoration.

This came as Abu Dhabi authorities signed a partnership with international environmental technology company Dendra to use seeding drones to assess and restore terrestrial and coastal ecosystems.

Solutions based on data and artificial intelligence will be implemented to preserve environmental habitats and local species, in addition to restoring ecological balance in wild areas and mangroves.

The first dryland restoration trial is already underway in Al Dhafra, using drones for aerial seeding in the desert. Dendra’s method has overcome the obstacles associated with traditional seed dispersal methods. Accelerates the pace of cultivation and planting, while providing access to remote areas. Allows the reintroduction of native species to an arid ecosystem without the use of irrigation by selecting areas that receive the greatest amounts of rainfall annually.

Anas Jawdat Albarguthi, chief operating officer of investment holding company ADQ, said Abu Dhabi is building a “research and development-driven supply chain” to bring native plant species back to its deserts and mangroves.

The Environment Agency Abu Dhabi (EAD) will oversee the analysis phase of the trial to determine the feasibility of future large-scale rehabilitation projects. The authority’s ecologists conducted an extensive field study covering 10,000 hectares.

Ahmed Al Hashmi, executive director of EAD’s Terrestrial and Marine Biodiversity Sector, said authorities will map Abu Dhabi’s natural vegetation habitats and their interactions with human influences. “Based on this data, we will use drone technology to rehabilitate habitats with the greater goal of conserving our native terrestrial and marine ecosystems.”

Dr. Susan Graham, CEO of Dendra, said its technology helps conserve, rehabilitate and restore ecosystems with distinctive challenges. A good example is Abu Dhabi, “which covers several hundred thousand hectares of arid landscapes that are difficult to access and 600 kilometers of coastline.”

Earlier this year, ADQ and EAD had announced the deployment of 3D-printed terracotta-based artificial reef tiles off Abu Dhabi. Made in partnership with Archireef, a Hong Kong-based climate technology company, the move helps coral restoration in the Persian Gulf.

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