GCC to Deploy Drones for Real-Time Flood Monitoring Across Chennai

The Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC) is planning to deploy drones across Chennai to monitor flooding, identify waterlogging hotspots and strengthen emergency response during the upcoming northeast monsoon season.

As part of its flood preparedness measures, the civic body has invited tenders for drone-based aerial surveillance services covering the northern, central and southern regions of the city.

Under the proposed initiative, one professional-grade drone equipped with high-definition cameras will be deployed in every GCC zone, along with a team of qualified and certified drone operators.

Drones to Monitor Flood-Prone Areas in Chennai

The drones will conduct aerial surveillance of low-lying areas and other flood-vulnerable locations across Chennai. Live video feeds will be transmitted directly to designated GCC command centres at zonal offices and the headquarters at Ripon Buildings.

This system will help civic officials monitor ground conditions, identify waterlogging, assess flood situations and coordinate emergency relief operations more quickly.

Real-Time Monitoring Through GCC Command Centres

The drone teams will coordinate with zonal officials to finalise daily flight schedules, deployment priorities and surveillance locations.

Both live video streams and recorded aerial footage will help the corporation maintain better situational awareness during heavy rainfall.

The flight logs, live feeds and recorded data will be maintained confidentially and securely for future analysis and flood management planning.

GCC Plans to Expand Drone Surveillance

A senior GCC official said the drone deployment initiative has been taken up as a pilot project. Depending on its success, the corporation plans to expand the operation in subsequent phases.

The drone units are expected to remain operational throughout the monsoon period.

The initiative is expected to improve Chennai`s flood preparedness by enabling faster identification of vulnerable locations, better coordination among civic teams and more effective emergency response during heavy rainfall.