Kuala Lumpur 3D digital twin: Driving sustainable city growth

Kuala Lumpur City Centre, located in the heart of Malaysia’s capital city Kuala Lumpur, is a bustling hub of activity offering visitors an experience of the city's rich history and modern culture.?

Designed to be a city within a city with a vision to immerse the visitors into the area, the 100-acre site is a multipurpose development area is home to some of the country’s most recognizable landmarks including the iconic Petronas Twin Towers. It also hosts world class hotels, shopping malls, office buildings, and other public spaces.

3D digital twin of Kuala Lumpur City Centre

The administrative authority of Kuala Lumpur City Centre (KLCC) has embarked on creation of a digital twin of the area for more effective management. The high-resolution, accurate 3D digital twin of KLCC was required to surpass the quality of existing public 3D maps and be fully compatible with local planning agencies.?

The digital twin model will be used by local authorities to inform urban planning, optimize resource allocation, and enhance infrastructure development, ultimately driving more efficient and sustainable growth for the city.

AECA Solutions, a leading geospatial technology company based in Malaysia, was commissioned to create the digital twin model of KLCC.?

AECA Solutions specializes in acquiring and analyzing spatial imagery to enhance operational effectiveness, utilizing advanced drone technology and survey-grade sensors to enable informed decision-making.?

Challenges of traditional mapping technology?

Traditional satellite and airborne image acquisition methods for 3D mapping present challenges in terms of detail and accuracy. The goal of this project is to leverage advanced drone technology to enhance 3D maps with high-resolution images, offering greater detail and accuracy.

The project identified the use of Trinity Pro drone and the Oblique D2M camera as the solution.?

The Trinity Pro and Oblique D2M camera system simplify 3D modeling, offering a wide range of ROI opportunities across various industries, including urban planning, construction, GIS and surveying, architecture, real estate, environmental management, disaster response, tourism, and infrastructure maintenance. By leveraging advanced visualization technologies and spatial data analytics, businesses can enhance operational efficiencies, improve decision-making processes, and create new business models.?

Evaluating the precision and flexibility of drones, Quantum-Systems' Trinity Pro eVTOL, paired with the Oblique D2M camera system, provides a versatile solution for capturing high-resolution imagery from various perspectives.?

This capability enables the creation of detailed 3D models that integrate with platforms like Google Earth, providing users with an enriched visual experience and facilitating better navigation and spatial understanding.

The Oblique D2M is a powerful oblique imaging system consisting of five high-resolution multidirectional cameras, making it the ideal tool for large scale 3D photogrammetry. A fast trigger interval along with custom high-speed storage provides class-leading time efficiency without compromising data quality.?

The payload combines four oblique and one NADIR camera to capture complex geometries with ease. This ensures remarkable detail even on slanted surfaces and makes Oblique D2M destined for 3D mesh generation of high-rise areas, industrial environments, archaeological sites and alike.

Mission challenges

This project took place in a densely populated and sensitive area, requiring flight permissions from various authorities. To secure these permits, AECA Solutions demonstrated the company’s credibility, the expertise of their operators, and the reliability of the equipment used.?

Additionally, the presence of active air traffic in the region limited AECA’s flight windows and required careful selection of takeoff and landing zones. The nature of digital twin technology, which involves handling large volumes of data, also posed challenges in ensuring rapid processing and integration for multiple stakeholders and requirements.

Performing the mission?

Weather conditions significantly influenced the aerial data acquisition process, making timing essential to minimize cloud cover. To enhance safety, AECA Solutions was constantly monitoring air traffic.?

The team successfully mapped approximately 1,000 hectares through three flights at an altitude of 550 meters (120 m AGL). A detailed 3D digital model was created and subsequently imported into a digital twin platform used by various local stakeholders.

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For precise geotagging, the team utilized QBase 3D in combination with the GNSS base station, ensuring high accuracy in their data collection process.

Data processing and results

The entire process was deployed and executed within three days, with data processing completed within one week. This data acquisition significantly contributed to future digital map development and enhanced the overall user experience

The deliverables were designed to minimize distortion while effectively capturing reflective surfaces, ensuring a realistic visual representation.

Elevate your business with detailed, high-quality 3D geospatial insights. Get in touch with us to see how our drone mapping services can drive smarter decision-making for your projects. Connect with our team at [email protected]