Eyes in the Sky: Drones Applications in the Built Environment under Climate Change Challenges
Round 1
Reviewer 1 Report
Review of Drones MS drones-2603737 “Eyes in the Sky: Drones Applications in the Built Environment under Climate Change Challenges” by N. Bayomi and J. Fernandez.
This manuscript is a review article of aerial drone applications. The “Built Environment” of the title refers to urban environments, and the climate change challenges of the title seems to refer to using drones to assess damage from climate disasters, and to monitor the health of infrastructure under conditions of increasing heat, rain, humidity, wind, etc. that are being shifted away from the conditions infrastructure was planned to work in due to climate change.
Overall, this reviewer notes that the urban climate change applications described in the title appear in the article but constitute a relatively small portion of the manuscript. Most of the manuscript is an overview of the capabilities of UAVs, sensor technology, software, and other topics that are not specific to the urban climate-change need. The authors appear to be writing with the purpose not so much of assessing and reviewing urban climate change applications, but of indicating what has been done in the area and promoting the opportunity for researchers to do more.
The article appears well written, broad and reasonably thorough in its review of the state of the art. It appears suitable for Drones and its readership, and seems acceptable as is to this reviewer.
Author Response
Thank you to Reviewer 2 for putting the time to review the article. we greatly appreciate the time and effort put in the review to improve the manuscript.
1. The authors appear to be writing with the purpose not so much of assessing and reviewing urban climate change applications, but of indicating what has been done in the area and promoting the opportunity for researchers to do more.
more emphasis has been done on existing case studies and future research
Author Response File: 
Author Response.pdf
Reviewer 2 Report
The paper is of great interest. In my opinion, it fails in a couple of points that, I hope, will be corrected during the next round of revision.
^ The authors suppose that all the readers are expert in thermal imaging. In my opinion, this is not true and the readers should be guided towards the basic knowledge of the main physics which is behind this part. By taking into account the increasing of sale of drones with equipped thermal cameras, it could be good to add a dedicate-short section centred on “how does infrared radiation work?” In this section, it is suggested to consider:
· DOI: 10.1080/17686733.2020.1738164
^ In the review the authors provided about drones and UAVs, I suggest to add the contribution added to the scientific knowledge by:
· DOI: 10.1080/17686733.2022.2056987
^ It is very difficult to appreciate the quality of Fig. 1b. Please, redrawn by making it readable.
Author Response
Thank you to Reviewer 2 for putting the time to review the article. we greatly appreciate the time and effort put in the review to improve the manuscript.
- An explanation of thermal imaging and relationship of IR sensors to UAVs platform have been added to section 1.2.2 lines 226-234 using recommended literature citation.
- figure 1b has been improved so its more readable.
Author Response File: Author Response.pdf
Reviewer 3 Report
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Consider providing more specific examples or case studies to support the claims about the applications of UAVs in climate change research. This would help readers understand the practical implications and potential benefits of using drones in the built environment.
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When discussing the advantages of UAVs over other technologies, such as satellites and ground observations, provide more specific details on how drones enable data collection at new spatial and temporal detail levels. Explain how drones' customizable sensor payloads and ability to survey the built environment from low altitudes contribute to more accurate and granular climate studies.
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Expand on the mention of UAVs' contributions to mapping heat islands, assessing building energy use, identifying emissions sources, monitoring green infrastructure efficacy, and surveying climate vulnerabilities. Provide more specific examples or case studies that demonstrate how drones have been used in these applications and the insights they have provided.
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When discussing the integration of UAVs with emerging digital technologies like AI, provide more details on how these technologies work together. Explain how AI can enhance the analysis of drone-captured data and enable predictive modeling for climate change impacts. Provide examples or case studies that highlight the synergistic relationship between UAVs and AI in climate change research.
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Consider discussing the practical challenges and limitations of UAV deployment for climate change research in the built environment. This could include factors such as regulatory considerations, privacy concerns, technical limitations, and the need for skilled operators. Addressing these challenges and proposing potential solutions would provide a more comprehensive overview of the topic.
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Emphasize the importance of UAVs in developing resilient and sustainable cities. Highlight how the insights gained from drone-based climate change research can inform urban planning, infrastructure design, and policy-making to create more resilient and sustainable urban environments.
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Consider providing more specific examples or case studies to support the claims about the applications of UAVs in civilian sectors. This would help readers understand the practical implications and potential benefits of using drones in agriculture, environmental monitoring, and infrastructure management.
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When discussing the advancements in miniaturization, sensor technology, and communication systems, provide more specific details on how these advancements have contributed to the development of UAVs. Explain how miniaturization has made drones more agile, and how advancements in sensor technology and communication systems have improved their capabilities in data collection and transmission.
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Expand on the mention of the integration of advanced technologies like AI, IoT, and ML. Provide more details on how these technologies have enhanced the capabilities and potential of UAVs. Explain how AI can enable autonomous navigation and intelligent data analysis, how IoT can enable communication and coordination between drones and other devices, and how ML can support predictive modeling and decision-making based on drone-captured data.
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When discussing the military influence on UAV technology, provide more specific examples of military applications and their impact on the development of UAVs. Explain how the need for unmanned systems for surveillance and reconnaissance led to technological advancements in materials, propulsion systems, avionics, and payload capacity. Provide examples of specific military missions where drones have been successfully deployed and their contributions to accuracy, reduced risks, and enhanced situational awareness.
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Address the potential ethical and legal implications of UAVs in military operations. Discuss the challenges and considerations related to privacy, data security, and the use of armed drones. Highlight the importance of responsible and ethical use of UAVs in military contexts.
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Provide more specific examples of civilian applications of UAVs beyond agriculture and environmental monitoring. Discuss how drones are used in logistics, civil protection, disaster response, and other sectors. Highlight the benefits and advantages of using drones in these applications, such as improved efficiency, reduced costs, and increased safety.
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Consider providing more specific examples or case studies to support the claims about the applications of UAVs in climate change research and urban monitoring. This would help readers understand the practical implications and potential benefits of using drones in these areas. Provide examples of specific climate-related phenomena that can be monitored using UAVs, such as heat island effects, air pollution, or vegetation dynamics in urban areas.
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When discussing the advantages of UAVs over conventional geomatics approaches, provide more specific details on how drones with LiDAR technology can capture highly detailed 3D spatial data. Explain how UAVs can capture complex topography and vertical structures more effectively than terrestrial laser scanning (TLS) systems, and how they can overcome occlusion gaps and shadowing in point clouds. Provide specific examples of applications where UAV LiDAR has been successfully used to capture inaccessible geometries.
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Expand on the comparison between different data acquisition technologies, such as satellites, UAVs, helicopters, and airplanes. Provide more specific details on the advantages and limitations of each technology, including factors such as field of view, payload capacity, operating costs, and availability. Explain how UAVs offer a balance between high-resolution imagery, flexibility, and low costs compared to other options.
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When discussing the real-time monitoring and analysis capabilities of UAVs in the urban environment, provide more specific examples of climate-related information that can be measured using onboard sensors and instruments. Explain how real-time monitoring enables immediate feedback and decision-making, and provide examples of how this data can be used to inform urban planning and management strategies.
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Address the potential limitations and challenges of using UAVs in urban monitoring, such as limited battery life and flight endurance. Discuss strategies or advancements that have been made to overcome these limitations, such as the use of advanced batteries or the development of autonomous recharging stations.
- The authors need to add a short paragraph about the security aspects of drone communications. For this purpose, they may include the following references (and others) in their study: a. https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/9842403 b. https://www.mdpi.com/1424-8220/21/6/2057
Can be improved
Author Response
we would like to extend our gratitude to reviewer 3 for putting the time to review the manuscript and the recommendations to improve its contribution.
1. Consider providing more specific examples or case studies to support the claims about the applications of UAVs in climate change research: three case studies have been added to section 3.1 alongside the existing ones to reflect the role of UAVs in climate change research.
2. provide more specific details on how drones enable data collection at new spatial and temporal detail levels. Explain how drones' customizable sensor payloads and ability to survey the built environment from low altitudes contribute to more accurate and granular climate studies.
An expansion of drones capabilities has been added to section 1.3 with three case studies.
3.Provide more specific examples or case studies that demonstrate how drones have been used in these applications and the insights they have provided.
Four case studies have been added in section 3.2 (section, a, b, and c)
4. Explain how AI can enhance the analysis of drone-captured data and enable predictive modeling for climate change impacts. Provide examples or case studies that highlight the synergistic relationship between UAVs and AI in climate change research.
Expansion of AI and UAVs synergies in climate change research have been added in section 4.1 [Machine Vision, Autonomous Flight Control] and 4.2 AI-Empowered UAVs: Supporting Adaptation and Mitigation Strategies.
5. Consider discussing the practical challenges and limitations of UAV deployment for climate change research in the built environment.
6. Emphasize the importance of UAVs in developing resilient and sustainable cities. Highlight how the insights gained from drone-based climate change research can inform urban planning, infrastructure design, and policy-making to create more resilient and sustainable urban environments.
Added to section 3.2
7. Consider providing more specific examples or case studies to support the claims about the applications of UAVs in civilian sectors. This would help readers understand the practical implications and potential benefits of using drones in agriculture, environmental monitoring, and infrastructure management.
More case studies are added to section
8. When discussing the advancements in miniaturization, sensor technology, and communication systems, provide more specific details on how these advancements have contributed to the development of UAVs. Explain how miniaturization has made drones more agile, and how advancements in sensor technology and communication systems have improved their capabilities in data collection and transmission.
Covered in section 1.2.3 and 5.3
9. Expand on the mention of the integration of advanced technologies like AI, IoT, and ML. Provide more details on how these technologies have enhanced the capabilities and potential of UAVs. Explain how AI can enable autonomous navigation and intelligent data analysis, how IoT can enable communication and coordination between drones and other devices, and how ML can support predictive modeling and decision-making based on drone-captured data.
Covered in section 4.2
10. When discussing the military influence on UAV technology, provide more specific examples of military applications and their impact on the development of UAVs. Explain how the need for unmanned systems for surveillance and reconnaissance led to technological advancements in materials, propulsion systems, avionics, and payload capacity. Provide examples of specific military missions where drones have been successfully deployed and their contributions to accuracy, reduced risks, and enhanced situational awareness.
covered in section 1.2.1 and 5.1
11. Address the potential ethical and legal implications of UAVs in military operations. Discuss the challenges and considerations related to privacy, data security, and the use of armed drones. Highlight the importance of responsible and ethical use of UAVs in military contexts.
Covered in section 1.2.1
12. Provide more specific examples of civilian applications of UAVs beyond agriculture and environmental monitoring. Discuss how drones are used in logistics, civil protection, disaster response, and other sectors. Highlight the benefits and advantages of using drones in these applications, such as improved efficiency, reduced costs, and increased safety.
Covered in Section 1.2.2
13. Consider providing more specific examples or case studies to support the claims about the applications of UAVs in climate change research and urban monitoring. This would help readers understand the practical implications and potential benefits of using drones in these areas. Provide examples of specific climate-related phenomena that can be monitored using UAVs, such as heat island effects, air pollution, or vegetation dynamics in urban areas.
Covered in section 3.2
14. When discussing the advantages of UAVs over conventional geomatics approaches, provide more specific details on how drones with LiDAR technology can capture highly detailed 3D spatial data. Explain how UAVs can capture complex topography and vertical structures more effectively than terrestrial laser scanning (TLS) systems, and how they can overcome occlusion gaps and shadowing in point clouds. Provide specific examples of applications where UAV LiDAR has been successfully used to capture inaccessible geometries.
covered in section 1.3 with case studies.
15. Expand on the comparison between different data acquisition technologies, such as satellites, UAVs, helicopters, and airplanes. Provide more specific details on the advantages and limitations of each technology, including factors such as field of view, payload capacity, operating costs, and availability. Explain how UAVs offer a balance between high-resolution imagery, flexibility, and low costs compared to other options.
This is included in section 1.3
16. When discussing the real-time monitoring and analysis capabilities of UAVs in the urban environment, provide more specific examples of climate-related information that can be measured using onboard sensors and instruments. Explain how real-time monitoring enables immediate feedback and decision-making, and provide examples of how this data can be used to inform urban planning and management strategies.
Added to section 1.3
17. Address the potential limitations and challenges of using UAVs in urban monitoring, such as limited battery life and flight endurance. Discuss strategies or advancements that have been made to overcome these limitations, such as the use of advanced batteries or the development of autonomous recharging stations.
This is discussed in depth in section 5.
17. Address the potential limitations and challenges of using UAVs in urban monitoring, such as limited battery life and flight endurance. Discuss strategies or advancements that have been made to overcome these limitations, such as the use of advanced batteries or the development of autonomous recharging stations.
Covered in section 5
18. The authors need to add a short paragraph about the security aspects of drone communications.
Suggested reference has been added to section 5
Author Response File: Author Response.pdf
Round 2
Reviewer 2 Report
From my point of view, the paper can be accepted for publication as it is.
Reviewer 3 Report
The authors considered my comments and suggestions.
Can be improved.
