AI Drones Are Hunting Landmines and Scanning Wildlife—Here’s How

AI Drones Are Hunting Landmines and Scanning Wildlife—Here’s How Artificial intelligence (AI) is being deployed in drones and robots to perform dangerous environmental and security tasks, from finding hidden explosives to conducting wildlife surveys. These systems are designed to operate autonomously, reducing risks to humans and increasing the speed and accuracy of critical missions. In the United Kingdom, a new drone system using AI to detect landmines and other explosives has completed successful trials [118535]. The drones scan large areas from the air, automatically identifying potential threats and allowing military personnel to assess danger from a safe distance, a significant improvement over traditional, perilous foot patrols. Meanwhile, in Hong Kong, environmental officials are testing two AI-powered systems to protect nature from large-scale construction projects [47560]. One uses cameras with AI software to automatically identify bird species. The other employs a laser-scanning robot, resembling a robotic dog, that moves through forests firing safe laser pulses to create detailed 3D maps. This "laser scanning" robot measures the health, size, and precise location of trees, providing data intended to help planners in the "Northern Metropolis" development zone avoid harming the environment. Officials in both cases emphasize that the technology minimizes human error and speeds up operations. The UK government has not specified when its AI drones will be deployed in the field [118535]. In Hong Kong, the data collected by the robotic systems will be used to balance new infrastructure with conservation goals [47560]. AI Drones Hunt Landmines: UK Tests Life-Saving Tech Hong Kong Deploys AI Robot Dogs to Scan for Wildlife