City planning is a complex process that considers many different factors. It is important to get it right, as the wrong decisions can have a negative impact on residents and businesses. Drones and related technology are playing an increasingly important role in city planning, as they allow planners to gather data about the environment and the built landscape. This information can be used to make better decisions about things like land use and infrastructure. In this article, we will take a closer look at how drones and related technology are being used in city planning, and what benefits they offer.
What Are The Key Elements of Town and City Planning?
The main elements that need to be factored in for any development of a town or city area are:
- Catchment area which refers to the people who live or work in the vicinity of the proposed development.
- Economic function of the area, which determines what type of businesses and services will be needed.
- Physical environment, including factors such as topography, climate, and access to utilities.
- Social and cultural context, which includes things like the history of the area and the community’s identity.
- Political context, which can impact city planning decisions.
- How Do Drones Help with City Planning?
Drones offer several advantages for city planners to gather data about the built or planned environment. This information can be used to make better decisions about city planning. Some of the areas of data that drones can capture efficiently and accurately include:
Environmental – Air pollution reduction is very high on the agenda of Government and in turn Local Authorities to meet CO reduction targets and improve the health/wellbeing of the population. Drones can be used to measure air quality at a localised level, using LiDAR cameras that provide data that can be used to analyse and identify areas that need improvement.
Traffic Flows – Drones can be used to monitor traffic flows and identify bottlenecks. This information can be used to improve the flow of traffic in city streets. The advantage here is that alongside standard data gathering techniques such as traffic traps and static roadside cameras, the overhead view gives a more rounded perspective of both human and vehicle interactions facilitating more holistic planning considerations.
Land Use – Drones can be used to monitor land use, and identify areas that are being underutilised. Images are clearer and more detailed than using aircraft or satellite imagery and a far more cost-effective solution. This information can be used to make better decisions about how city land is used.
Thermography – Additionally, drones can be used for thermography, which is a type of imaging that can be used to detect things like heat loss. thermal building efficiencies. This method can be utilised at all stages of planning, through to evaluation of project success.
Built Environment – They can be used to Drones can also be used to take pictures of the built environment, at a high level of detail and accuracy to create topographic surveys and 3D models/3D twins. These models, once loaded into a platform such as CAD, facilitate planners to visualise and model changes to the area.
What is the Future for Drones In Relation to Town Planning?
Drones are set to play an even more important role in city planning in the future. As technology advances, drones will become more sophisticated and able to capture even more data. This data will be invaluable for city planners, as it will help them to make better decisions about the development of cities and towns. In addition, drones will become more affordable, making them more accessible to city planners.
Our role will continue to grow in this area as drone service providers and whilst we are not the ‘planning experts’ we can provide support to capture the data that Planners may need to reduce the costs and increase the accuracy/efficiency of their work.
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