On 28 August 2024, as part of the SDG Local Solutions series, UNDP hosted a webinar on the use of drones to map cities, featuring the experiences of Dublin and Freetown.
This article explores how these cities have embraced drone technology to meet the challenges of sustainability, risk management, and public service delivery. Both provide case studies of how drone technology can be used for urban planning, disaster risk mitigation, and environmental protection. However, the success of these projects depends on having appropriate institutions, effective regulations, and community involvement to ensure the tools are used efficiently and ethically.
The video recording can be watched on our Youtube channel – also available in Spanish and French.
Drone use in Dublin
Dublin has integrated drones into its urban management to improve the quality of city operations. Primarily, drones are used for mapping, public safety, waste management, and accessing dangerous structures, providing a safer and quicker alternative to traditional methods. They also assist during city events by capturing media content.
- Mapping and infrastructure monitoring: drones are used to map and survey the city, including monitoring the condition of public infrastructure. This allows the city to quickly identify structural risks and intervene before they escalate into larger problems.
- Public safety and civil defense: Dublin employs drones in its civil defense operations. Drones are assessing dangerous areas, such as those affected by fires or natural disasters, without putting city workers at risk.
- Waste management and environmental monitoring: drones help in waste management by surveying landfills and monitoring dumping areas. They also assist in environmental protection, providing data for air quality and climate initiatives.
- Media and event management: the city uses drones for capturing images and videos of public events.
Strategies and institutional response
The city has a dedicated unit of drone operations, with strategic partnerships to foster innovation with this technology. Its drone program is part of the broader Smart Cities initiative, aimed at modernizing city services. The city works closely with regulatory bodies such as the Irish Aviation Authority to ensure all drone flights are compliant with national and EU regulations.
- Centralized drone unit: Dublin has established a centralized drone unit within its municipal government. This unit is responsible for coordinating drone operations across different departments.
- Training and capacity building: training programs are in place for city employees involved in drone operations. The city ensures that staff are skilled in using drones for data collection, analysis, and urban planning.
- Strategic partnerships: Dublin has partnered with stakeholders, including industry leaders and regulatory bodies like the Irish Aviation Authority, to ensure the successful integration of drones into public services.
- Public and regulatory engagement: public safety, data privacy, and ethical use of drones are emphasized, aligning with European Union regulations on unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) operations.
Challenges
One of the key challenges Dublin faces is navigating the complex regulatory landscape surrounding drone use, particularly when flying over sensitive areas such as prisons or national monuments. Ensuring public safety and addressing privacy concerns are also high on the agenda. Additionally, the need for specialized training can be a barrier to broader adoption within city departments.
- Regulatory compliance: while Dublin has worked closely with national and European regulators, managing drone operations in sensitive areas (e.g., airports, prisons, historical sites) remains a challenge. The city must frequently apply for special permissions, which can delay operations.
- Public perception and privacy: the city is continuously refining its policies to reassure citizens that drone use respects privacy and complies with data protection laws (e.g., GDPR).
Drone use in Freetown
Freetown’s primary focus with drone technology is on environmental protection, particularly through its larger reforestation initiative known as Freetown Treetown. This project employs drones to monitor and map reforestation areas, contributing to the fight against climate change. Drones also help in urban planning, allowing the city to better understand risks like landslides and flooding.
- Environmental protection and reforestation (Freetown Treetown): Drones are used to monitor reforestation areas as part of the city’s goal to plant one million trees and restore green cover.
- Disaster risk reduction: drones play a critical role in mapping vulnerable areas and providing real-time data to improve early warning systems and disaster response efforts.
- Urban planning: drones are used for urban planning, providing high-resolution aerial images that assist in the design and development of roads, buildings, and drainage systems.
- Mobility and transport projects: the city is using drones to map out future transportation projects, including a cable car system. This helps identify optimal routes and ensure minimal disruption to existing infrastructure.
Strategies and institutional response
Although Freetown is still in the early stages of its drone programs, it’s progressing through partnerships with external actors. The City Council is working to centralize operations, while national regulations are still being developed. Freetown also engages citizens in activities like tree planting and monitoring through its drone initiatives.
- Community engagement: Freetown’s drone initiatives emphasize community participation. Local communities are involved in tree planting and monitoring efforts, ensuring the success of reforestation initiatives.
- External partnerships: Freetown relies on external funding and partnerships to acquire and operate drones. This reliance underscores the city’s resource limitations but also highlights its strategic use of partnerships for capacity building.
- Gradual institutionalization: while there is no dedicated drone unit yet, Freetown’s City Council is moving toward institutionalizing drone use by setting up a central unit for urban planning. This will help integrate the use of drones across different sectors.
Challenges
Freetown’s main challenge is the lack of a clear legal framework for drone use, making it hard to expand operations across different sectors. High costs, a shortage of skilled operators, and reliance on external funding also limit the city’s ability to fully use this technology.
- Lack of national regulatory framework: Freetown faces legal and regulatory challenges, as Sierra Leone does not yet have comprehensive national regulations for drone operations. This creates delays in securing necessary permits.
- High costs and limited access to technology: the cost of drones and their maintenance remains a barrier for the city. The limited number of drone providers in the country makes procurement expensive.
- Capacity and skill development: Freetown struggles with a lack of technical expertise in operating drones. Building a workforce that is proficient in using drones is a key challenge.
- Sustainability of projects: many of Freetown’s drone projects rely on external funding, raising questions about the sustainability of these initiatives.
LESSONS LEARNED
Several solutions can help cities overcome obstacles and integrate drone technology into their urban governance systems.
- Developing comprehensive regulatory frameworks: cities should work with national and international bodies to establish clear, context-specific regulations for drone usage.
- Securing sustainable funding: to alleviate financial constraints, cities can explore innovative funding mechanisms like expanding public-private partnerships.
- Building local capacity: cities can build local expertise through partnerships with universities and technical schools to gain local capacity to operate drones in urban areas.
- Engaging the public: building public trust is essential for the long-term success of drone programs. Public awareness campaigns among residents can provide information about drones’ benefits and uses.
- Improving infrastructure: cities can improve the logistical aspects by investing in infrastructures like drone charging stations or establishing drone-friendly zones.
Conclusions
Dublin and Freetown offer compelling case studies on how drone technology can transform urban planning and governance. While the cities face unique challenges, their commitment to integrating drones into public policy showcases the vast potential of this technology to improve infrastructure, enhance public safety, and promote environmental sustainability.
Dublin’s advanced drone unit serves as a model for cities looking to optimize their urban management through technology, while Freetown’s innovative use of drones for environmental conservation provides valuable insights for cities in the Global South. By addressing regulatory, financial, and technical challenges through strategic partnerships and public engagement, both cities can continue leading the way in drone-assisted urban planning.