Singapore manages trees by creating a digital twin – capturing LiDAR point clouds and then applying artificial intelligence to geolocate each plant.
"This actually takes away the manual efforts so that our staff don't have to go around to the hill to measure all the trees – this can be done automatically through this system," Tan toldNParks then applies finite element models to the digital twin to assist the team in examining the overall tree stability under different weather conditions , considering factors like tree architecture, wood strength and root space.
But the inspections don't stop there. The org uses satellite remote sensing for multi-spectral analysis to determine chlorophyll levels to ensure the trees are still thriving. It also integrates street level cameras that give panoramic imagery for remote visual checks, and attaches physical tilt sensors to more mature trees – to detect any sudden movement that could indicate risk.