This article first appeared in Digital Edge, The Edge Malaysia Weekly on July 22, 2024 - July 28, 2024

Torrential downpours, often followed by flooding, have been a persistent headache for Malaysians. Such events cause significant property damage, leading to substantial personal losses.

“Flooding is a growing concern for everyone, especially with changes in the global climate causing weather to behave differently from the predictions used to design drainage systems and infrastructure. For this reason, [those who manage] wastewater and sewer systems are under increasing pressure to deal with mounting water levels,” says K Mathi, head of strategic planning at AL Pine Utility Services Sdn Bhd.

In 2023, nearly 28,000 people had to be evacuated to relief centres due to fast rising water that led to floods, according to news reports. While aid and temporary relief should continue to be provided, flood prevention measures — such as rigorous inspection and maintenance works on drains — need to be implemented in tandem, says Mathi.

This is where AL Pine, a utility maintenance and surveillance company, can lend its expertise in the inspection of drainage systems using drones, he adds.

AL Pine has undertaken such mitigation efforts in Johor, with the initiative being separated into a few phases. They include site visits, inspection, presenting reports on the pipeline inspection, and the cleaning and subsequent rehabilitation of the storm drain system.

“[For example], in the mining sector, poor drainage can have profound consequences [leading to] unexpected shifts in terrain, which is why drainage becomes vitally important to manage. Flooding, or at least prolonged static water, could be a real problem for the continuation of operations and overall site safety,” says Mathi.

To begin with, AL Pine deploys the Elios 3 drone to create digital records of existing drainage systems, which help in identifying problems ahead of time. Elios 3 is a mapping and inspection indoor drone from Flyability, a provider of internal inspection solutions.

“After an inspection [using the drone], you can create a 3D model that can be measured, analysed and shared. With annotations, inspectors can identify potential problems and send maintenance teams to investigate. Then, updated models can be created to show progress of the work,” explains Mathi.

There are three benefits to using a drone: safety, access and data.

“By using a drone and gathering data remotely, it can keep staff out of dangerous areas. The drone can reach some spaces that people can’t, and this enhanced access can help in identifying problems that make a flood or emergency situation worse,” says Mathi.

“Drones provide both visual and Lidar (light detection and ranging) data, making it possible to get clear situational awareness and identify problems throughout a space,” he continues.

According to Mathi, although the drone is not designed for prolonged exposure to water, it can assist in cases where water is present. For example, when there are potential breaks or leaks inside sewer and wastewater infrastructure, Elios 3 can be used to find the location of the fault. This helps to speed up the deployment of the emergency response teams.

Elios 3 has the ability to provide highly accurate and easily interpretable data, and is used for missions in confined spaces. Meanwhile, the M350RTK L2 drone is utilised for mapping and digital terrain modelling to identify the root cause of floods.

Then there are the robotic crawlers and the Reizler portable 360° pushrod system, which are deployed in areas that are inaccessible to larger systems. They facilitate visual identification of the source of the issues, Mathi adds.

Data, which drones are able to gather, is instrumental in the formulation of strategic plans and provision of insights into the underlying cause of floods. When one of the affected culverts in Johor began showing signs of missing bottoms and wall perforations, Elios 3 was able to provide detailed information on the exact location of the defects, Mathi points out.

AL Pine provides data analysis, interpretation and actionable insights from the data collected by its drones. Furthermore, the company uses its know-how to deploy drones effectively in challenging environments such as confined spaces, industrial sites and the scene of disasters.

“To date, we have observed a reduction in the frequency of flooding [in the area we had worked on in Johor]. However, it is premature to declare it a complete success. The true impact of our corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiatives and the ongoing maintenance efforts undertaken by the authorities can only be accurately assessed during the upcoming monsoon season,” says Mathi.

AL Pine hopes to continue leveraging technology and improving efficiency to mitigate flood occurrences. This includes digitising records related to flood management, namely paper-based documents such as maps, reports and historical data on flood patterns.

Digitising records and streamlining workflows would improve AL Pine’s ability to inspect flood infrastructure frequently at a lower cost, says Mathi. “Additionally, by digitising processes and utilising technology, AL Pine minimises the need for staff to be physically present in high-risk areas, thus reducing their exposure to danger.

“The ability to inspect assets more frequently not only enhances safety but also improves overall asset management by identifying and addressing potential issues early on before they escalate.”

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