Drones for Good: Intel and the Great Wall of China Expedition

Intel’s drone business is more than light shows.  In addition to showing off swarm technology and providing entertainment with their Shooting Star™ drones, Intel’s Falcon 8+ is a serious enterprise tool.  Now, Intel has ventured on an expedition to bring those tools to China for the preservation of one of China’s greatest monuments.  A team from Intel has partnered with the China Foundation for Cultural Heritage Conservation (CFCHC) to protect and preserve the Jiankou section of the Great Wall of China.

“An Intel® Falcon™ 8+ drone is being used to carry out an aerial inspection and survey of the Jiankou section, capturing tens of thousands of high-resolution images of areas proven too difficult or dangerous for human access,” says an Intel release on the project.

Previously, the Great Wall has been inspected manually using traditional methods of measurement and visual inspection.  It is a process that takes over a month – and can’t provide exact information.  With the Intel technology, the team will process images into a 3D model, “which provides preservationists with a digital replica of the current state of the wall,” says Intel.  The drone inspection will take only three days and will provide better data for conservationists, who will use the information to develop a repair plan.

“Intel’s innovative technologies are providing the CFCHC with safer, more efficient ways of surveying and inspecting. From aerial-captured content, teams will use Intel artificial intelligence technologies to help analyze the types of repairs needed and calculate the time, labor and cost of materials for repair.

The Jiankou section of the Great Wall of China dates back to the Ming dynasty and, in its more than 450 years of existence, has been affected by natural erosion and human destruction. While portions of the wall most popular with tourists have been preserved and renovated over time, the Great Wall’s 12-mile Jiankou section is one of the steepest and most dangerous to access. As a result, the stretch has not been preserved for hundreds of years.”

The Great Wall Restoration campaign is a part of Intel’s “Tech for Good” program which has included projects such as studying Polar Bear populations and Snot Bot, which measures whale health.