TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — The Ministry of Environment announced on Monday that it removed over 582 metric tons of various waste materials with help from UAVs equipped with AI image recognition technology last year.

UAVs conducted large-scale aerial surveys of 15 coastal areas covering 13.183 square kilometers and assessed coastal pollution levels, the ministry said in a press release. “This innovative approach helps restore clean coastal environments, allowing the public to enjoy scenic shorelines,” it said.

The ministry said Taiwan's 1,990-kilometer coastline poses challenges for manual inspections due to geographical constraints. By integrating UAV aerial surveys, each flight can inspect up to 2 kilometers of coastline.

The ministry said it aims to enhance AI recognition capabilities to classify different types of coastal waste, which will improve waste management and support cleanup efforts. UAV surveys will be incorporated into coastal monitoring programs, with cross-agency and local government collaboration to improve coastal cleanliness, it added.