Saudi’s Red Sea Development to use HD project images by KASCT

The Red Sea Development Company (TRSDC) has inked an agreement with the King Abdulaziz Science and Technology City (KACST) to provide high-resolution satellite data and monitor the Red Sea project.

TRSDC’s ability to monitor the Red Sea Project, which covers approximately 28,000 square kilometers, allows it to track construction progress while also closely monitoring the environment for any unexpected changes, allowing it to respond appropriately if required.

“Given our ambition is to enhance the environment, gaining reliable, detailed and timely visual insights is crucial to understanding how our development progress is affecting the precious habitats at the destination. Through this partnership with KACST, we are able to monitor key assets, both built and natural, during the construction phase which will significantly support our efforts to deliver a regenerative approach to tourism development.”

Every month, KACST will record high-resolution data of the Red Sea Project’s development sites using the National Center of Remote Technology (NCRST). Color-balanced, geo-referenced, and orthorectified imagery will be acquired by NCRST satellites GeoEye-1, Worldview, and Pleiades.

The satellite data will subsequently be integrated into TRSDC’s Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and Building Information Models (BIM) to offer TRSDC’s planning, engineering, and environmental departments seamless access to the imagery.

“The NCRST is ready to support TRSDC and provide world-class satellite imagery of its project area that will enable it to gain deeper insights into how construction is progressing and what impact its work is having on the surrounding environment,” said Dr. Talal A. Al-Sedairy, Director of KACST’s Space and Aeronautics Research Institute.

TRSDC’s GIS department will be using satellite data to overlay the most recent master plans and detailed designs to track development and detect problems. The data will also be used to identify optimal routes/sites for construction activities in addition to becoming an invaluable addition to monthly progress reports.

Related: Saudi PIF & Chinese firm Cosco acquire minority stake in Red Sea Terminal