Intel's drones to help restore crumbling Great Wall of China

Some parts of the over 13,000 miles-long Great Wall of China are falling into disrepair since the locations are remote and hard to reach. Intel is playing its part here by using drones to repair the crumbling parts of the Great Wall.

Intel has started working with the China Foundation for Cultural Heritage Conservation for installing hi-tech drones that will produce 3D scans of the wall in order to know which parts need to be prioritized for restoration.

Daily Mail reported that the drones will initially be deployed at the 12.4 miles Jiankou section of the wall that is located in the steep and rugged hills North of Beijing, known for its steep climbs and scenic views. The drones will take aerial photos that will be converted to HD images so that conservationists can build a holistic picture of the wall’s current state.

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Moreover, with the help of artificial intelligence, a visual representation will be created of the Great Wall for detecting those areas that need repairing and will then plan the safest ways to restore the respective areas.

This project will take place over the next few months. Explaining the poor state of the 12.4 mile long Jiankou portion of the wall, chairman of China Foundation for Cultural Heritage Conservation, Li Xiaojie explained, “As one of the Seven Wonders of the Great World, the Great Wall has been exposed to weather erosion for thousands of years. Some parts are on steep inclines, which pose a great challenge for daily maintenance. Our partnership with Intel has opened new avenues for preservation.”

Intel has increased its drone technology recently. Earlier this year, the company used drones to map oil and gas ranges in Australia along with using many of its drones to put up amazing drone shows.

“Using drones, we are able to inspect multiple aspects of the structure including areas that are quite inaccessible. We continue to be excited about the future of inspections being automated all the way from drone data capture to data processing, analysis and insights,” said Anil Nanduri, vice president and general manager of Intel's drone team.