New horizons in smart construction

Advancements in unmanned aerial vehicle technology are driving smart construction in Hong Kong – and nowhere has this been more evident than in the Development Bureau’s pioneering use of drones in the management of a large construction site at Nui Po Shan.

Technological breakthroughs: Deputy Financial Secretary Michael Wong (second left) learns about various technological breakthroughs in the drones used by the Development Bureau. Source from news.gov.hk

The drones at the site – where existing sewage treatment facilities are being relocated to purpose-built underground caverns – have been deployed not only to capture photos and video, but also to record spatial data, enabling remote monitoring of progress and safety.

The deployment is one of the first pilot projects under the Low-altitude Economy Regulatory Sandbox. Deputy Financial Secretary Michael Wong, who chairs the Working Group on Developing Low-altitude Economy, commented when he inspected the project: “Low-altitude economy is a new concept in Hong Kong and the city should seize the opportunity to develop the initiative.”

Flying high: The drones have a payload capacity of up to 6kg, meaning they are capable of carrying equipment such as cameras and scanners that collect thermal and spatial data. Source from news.gov.hk

High payload

Deputy Secretary for Development Tony Ho highlighted three key technological breakthroughs in the bureau’s drones, namely a high payload capacity, use of beyond-visual-line-of-sight (BVLOS) with automatic operation flight technology and cutting-edge docking stations that allow for efficient battery management.

With regard to payload, the aircraft can carry up to 6kg, meaning that they can be equipped with a laser imaging, detection and ranging (LIDAR) scanner, as well as an infrared thermal imaging camera.

Mr Ho added that the bureau’s self-developed smart platform, “SmartEye”, analyses the data collected by comparing images over time to measure soil and rock volumes, slope gradient, the verticality of structures, and more.

Automated features: The drones can follow pre-determined flight paths at scheduled times and operate automatically even outside an operator’s line of sight. Source from news.gov.hk

“For example, if we are excavating a 45-degree slope, we can use the data to verify if the excavation matches the required gradient. This allows us to detect early, follow up timely and resolve issues early.”

Enhanced efficiency

Explaining the benefits of BVLOS technology, Mr Ho said it has allowed the bureau to achieve automated operation of its drones.

“This allows unmanned aircraft to follow pre-determined flight paths and monitor construction sites at scheduled times. As a result, operators can manage multiple drones simultaneously across different sites.”

Moreover, with longer flights requiring greater endurance, the bureau’s advanced docking stations – which enable drone batteries to be replaced automatically in about a minute – make a huge difference.

Greater endurance: This advanced docking station allows the drones’ batteries to be replaced automatically in about a minute. Source from news.gov.hk

“This innovation not only prevents interruptions from long charging times, but also cuts down on labour costs associated with battery management. As a result, the endurance of the drones is greatly enhanced, enabling continuous operations and broader coverage.”

Extensive applicability

The bureau aims to achieve three goals through its participation in the Government’s Low-altitude Economy Regulatory Sandbox Pilot Projects – namely to leverage drones for site management, for asset management and also for emergency response operations.

The Civil Engineering & Development Department, the Drainage Services Department, the Architectural Services Department and the Water Supplies Department will implement the technology across 12 pilot sites, including the Yuen Long Kam Tin River and reservoirs.

Wider applications: Deputy Secretary for Development Tony Ho says the Development Bureau aims to achieve three goals through the pilot project: using drones for site management, asset management and emergency response, while applying the technology to 12 different pilot sites. Source from news.gov.hk

A Ukrainian drone strike killed one person and wounded three others in the Russian city of Voronezh, local officials said Sunday. Meanwhile, thousands of residents were still without power in Kyiv, following an intense Russian bombardment.

A young woman died overnight in a hospital intensive care unit after debris from a drone fell on a house during the attack on Saturday, Voronezh regional Gov. Alexander Gusev said on Telegram.

Three other people were wounded and more than 10 apartment buildings, private houses and a high school were damaged, he said, adding that air defenses shot down 17 drones over Voronezh. The city is home to just over 1 million people and lies some 250 kilometers (155 miles) from the Ukrainian border.

Ukraine's General Staff said Sunday said its forces hit three drilling platforms operated by Russian oil giant Lukoil in the waters of the Caspian Sea. Ukraine’s long-range drone strikes on Russian energy sites aim to deprive Moscow of the oil export revenue it needs to pursue its full-scale invasion.

The attacks came after Russia bombarded Ukraine with hundreds of drones and dozens of missiles overnight into Friday, killing at least four people in the capital Kyiv, according to Ukrainian officials. For only the second time in the nearly four-year war, Russia used a powerful new hypersonic missile that struck western Ukraine in a clear warning to Kyiv and NATO.

Ukraine’s largest private energy supplier, DTEK, said Sunday that 30,000 people in Kyiv were still without power following the attack. Mayor Vitali Klitschko said Friday around half the apartment buildings — nearly 6,000 — in snowy Kyiv were left without heat in daytime temperatures of about minus 8 degrees Celsius (17.6 Fahrenheit).

The intense barrage and the launch of the nuclear-capable Oreshnik missile followed reports of major progress in talks between Ukraine and its allies on how to defend the country from further aggression by Moscow if a U.S.-led peace deal is struck.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Saturday in his nightly address that Ukrainian negotiators “continue to communicate with the American side.”

Chief negotiator Rustem Umerov was in contact with U.S. partners on Saturday, he said.

Separately, Ukraine’s General Staff said Russia targeted Ukraine with 154 drones overnight into Sunday and 125 were shot down.

The Ukrainian Defense Ministry’s main intelligence directorate said Sunday that Russia this month deployed the new jet-powered “Geran-5” strike drone against Ukraine for the first time. The Geran is a Russian variant of the Iranian-designed Shahed.

According to the directorate, the drone can carry a 90-kilogram (200-pound) warhead and has a range of nearly 1,000 kilometers (620 miles).

Follow the AP’s coverage of the war in Ukraine at https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine

This photo provided by the Ukrainian Security Service on Friday, Jan. 9, 2026, shows a fragment believed to be a part of a Russian Oreshnik intermediate range hypersonic ballistic missile that hit the Lviv region. (Ukrainian Security Service via AP)

President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy, second left, listens to British Defense Secretary John Healey during their meeting in Kyiv, Ukraine, Friday, Jan. 9, 2026. (AP Photo/Danylo Antoniuk)