Intelligent CIO Middle East Issue 40 | Page 76

INDUSTRY WATCH cut inspection costs by as much as 50%, given that drone hardware and software technologies have developed to the level that the entire inspection process can be streamlined and automated. “The valuable benefits of drone technology in this instance include, higher-resolution visual inspections than ground-based inspections; a significant reduction of man hours and costs; safe assessments for the condition and alignment of all components developing markets for unmanned data acquisition. The Zain Group enjoys solid in-house expertise in drone technology, drawing from international experts, and enjoys unparalleled knowledge of the enterprise market in Kuwait and across the region. Zain DaaS offers multiple solutions across core industries such as oil and gas (flare inspections), utilities (power line inspections), construction (BIM), KUWAIT WILL BE A GREAT SHOWCASE MARKET FOR THE CAPABILITIES OF ZAIN DRONE-AS-A-SERVICE. of cell towers with inspections done from a safe distance; an increase in efficiency due to data accuracy, live streaming and zoom or thermal capabilities; and importantly, no network downtime as the cell towers remain functional during inspection.” Zain Drone is investing heavily to build the required capabilities in drone operations and is positioning itself to become the leading strategic partner in the fast- 76 INTELLIGENTCIO infrastructure (asset inspections), security, real estate, telecom infrastructure, agriculture and other industries. Earlier this month Zain Drone announced it had entered into a teaming agreement with DroneShield, a worldwide leader in counter-drone solutions, which will see the companies working together on meeting Zain customers’ requirements for counter- drone security solutions in the region. With the launch of Zain Drone services, the Zain Group is fulfilling its Digital Transformation strategy of offering unique and business enhancing services to its customers. The company says the benefits of using drones include: • Being a cost-effective method of acquiring precision aerial data for projects, significantly improving asset inspection and capturing and analysing engineering grade data to improve decision-making. • The ability to be quickly deployed to capture accurate data at high altitudes for business planning and decision making because they are fast, reliable and cost-effective. • Their use leads to efficient asset management, plus enhanced maintenance processes, by delivering precise information about the current state of the infrastructure. • Decreased risk of injuries and casualties due to fully autonomous processes, replacing traditional inspection systems. • Indisputable evidence in investment disputes. • Early detection of problems in remote areas or inaccessible infrastructure and rapid scheduling of necessary repairs. n www.intelligentcio.com