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Raleigh deploys drones and AI to build a city digital twin for traffic planning, tree preservation, and community storytelling.
The city of Raleigh is leveraging drone-captured data to enhance urban planning and community communication. A recent application involved the development of Gipson Play Plaza within Dorothea Dix Park, where drone data generated 3D meshes and orthographic images to visualize and communicate the park's design. City officials are also exploring the use of digital twin technology for event planning, ensuring adequate space for events without relying on estimates. Additionally, the technology assists facility planners in strategically locating new buildings to minimize the impact on existing trees, reflecting Raleigh's commitment as the 'City of Oaks.' The city is further integrating traditional Internet of Things (IoT) devices like cameras, scooters, and vehicles into the digital twin for a more high-fidelity view of urban dynamics.
Raleigh has been an early adopter of drone technology, with its Parks Department initiating a drone program in 2018, followed by the IT department two years ago. The city employs a decentralized approach to drone usage, with separate programs in IT, Parks, Raleigh Water, and a large fleet for the police department, which operates differently due to law enforcement specifics. The digital twin project primarily utilizes four drones: three U.S.-made Freefly Astros and one Mavic product. Faced with potential federal bans on Chinese-made drones, Raleigh decided approximately two years ago to transition its drone fleet to NDAA-compliant alternatives like the Freefly Astro, standardizing their use across departments.
Building on its reputation in the tech-focused Research Triangle, Raleigh was one of the first cities to fully embrace AI technology. The city captures imagery using standard operations and then processes it with Esri technology to create derivative products such as orthophotos and 3D meshes, heavily relying on integrated AI. Initially, the digital twin project focused on modeling the city's future urban form to address rapid growth. The technology has since expanded to include micro-weather modeling, which factors in climate data, wind patterns, and the urban environment to predict ventilation corridors and wind flows. Perhaps the most innovative application is using the digital twin for storytelling, leveraging GIS as a platform to illustrate aspects of Raleigh, from environmental modeling to transit service operations, enhancing communication with the community.