Ingenieur Vol 99 final July-Sept 2024 | Page 24

INGENIEUR
INGENIEUR
The specifications of drone technology are improving rapidly , complemented by a reduction in costs . We are confident that georeferenced aerial surveys can be effectively used to increase agricultural site surveys and agricultural productivity and even shorten the time for accurate environmental studies from the present project execution of weeks to hours at any agricultural site worldwide .
LEGAL REGULATIONS FOR THE USAGE OF DRONES IN MALAYSIA
The use of drones is bound by legal regulations set up by the relevant regulatory agencies , namely , the Civil Aviation Authority of Malaysia ( CAAM ), the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission ( MCMC ), the Department of Survey and Mapping Malaysia ( JUPEM ) and SIRIM . Highlights of the major legal regulations to be noted for the appropriate use of drones for flights and projects are :
● Regulatory authorities ’ approval to be obtained before the start of the project ;
● Drones must only operate at less than 122m ( 400ft ) above ground level ;
● Drones are not allowed to fly closer than 30m to people , buildings / vehicles ;
● Drones are not permitted to fly into restricted / prohibited / security areas ;
● Special permission is needed to operate within 9.26km of airports / helipads ;
● Drone communication must use only approved sets of radio frequencies ;
● Airspace Management Classification for Drones to be strictly adhered to ;
● A permit is required for any Drone Aerial Work which takes photographs ; and
● The designated ‘ Drone No-fly Zone ’ areas must be strictly observed .
There is a great emphasis worldwide placed on industrial safety , site security , individual protection against potential accidents , and privacy expectations in the responsible usage of drones . A heavy fine of up to RM50,000 and / or maximum imprisonment of three years for any negligent individual drone operator penalised for not adhering to the established legal drone regulations is thus instituted to encourage the accountable safe use of drones . The fine is increased to RM100,000 if the task is carried out under the directive of a body corporate or company .
BENEFITS OF USING DRONES FOR INDUSTRIAL OPERATIONS
Acknowledging the present-day emphasis on operation economics and personnel occupational safety risks in data collection for production monitoring and inspections at any industrial site , the application of drone technology can greatly reduce the risks involved by minimising the time personnel spend at high-risk accident-prone areas such as those with steep slopes or are environmentally sensitive or chemically hazardous .
Drone-based data collection can also boost productivity since survey projects which used to take weeks to finish can now be completed in a few hours . Since it is airborne , a lot of time is saved in not having to overcome challenging topographical surface terrain problems at the respective industrial sites . A high-resolution drone photo can quickly verify any site information required , thus minimising the risks of inaccurate reporting on the selected site . A large economic saving in this data monitoring and collection phase is possible since fewer hours are now required to collect large yet accurate data sets for rapid analysis and decisionmaking by the top management .
A drone evaluation study carried out in the industry reported some operators as saying that a single imaging drone can pay for itself in a few months . The financial savings are derived from the ability to make quick management decisions based on market trends and overall time savings in data collection and information analysis . The precise drone information outputs often help in optimal decision-making by the respective Government and corporate management teams .
STRATEGIC APPLICATIONS OF DRONES TOWARDS AGRICULTURAL EXCELLENCE
Drones can greatly assist the agricultural industry and the respective operators to manage their tasks more efficiently , reduce costs and increase crop yields while enhancing occupational safety
22 VOL 99 JULY - SEPTEMBER 2024