The UAE’s Ministry of Labour has signed a cooperation agreement with Higher Colleges of Technology (HCT) in Dubai to develop a drones project used to inspect local construction sites. Under the agreement, a specialised operational team from both sides will be established to upgrade the drone which records video footage to record violations against labourers.
The remote controlled drone project was launched recently by Saqr Ghobash, Minister of Labour, with the aim of supporting inspectors during construction site campaigns.
The drone covers around two square kilometres over a 15-20 minutes battery-life span, reaching altitudes of up to one kilometre.
The machine is controlled wirelessly with the possibility of setting up coordinates of the preferred location through its built-in navigation system.
The HD camera installed on the frame conveys a clear and accurate view of the targeted sites, which can be monitored on a live screen directly from the remote control.
The agreement was signed by Saif Al-Suwaidi, assistant Under-Secretary for Institutional and Support Services at the Ministry of Labour, and Dr Tayeb Kamali, director of the Higher Colleges of Technology.
Al-Suwaidi said: “We are seeking to form a technical team in partnership with HCT students to upgrade usage of the smart drone through creating an electronic linkage between the control system and video footage to record violations on the Ministry’s receivers directly to save time and effort, and contribute strongly towards monitoring the labour market more effectively.”