JEDDAH: As Saudi Arabia accelerates the adoption of advanced technologies across key sectors, researchers are harnessing artificial intelligence and drone technology to modernize one of the Kingdom’s oldest traditions: camel herding.
Home to more than 2.1 million camels and over 80,000 owners, Saudi Arabia’s camel sector remains deeply rooted in the Kingdom’s cultural identity and rural economy. Yet managing herds across vast desert landscapes presents enduring challenges, including livestock loss, overgrazing, road accidents involving stray animals, and the difficulty of monitoring herds in remote areas with limited communications infrastructure.
To help address these issues, researchers at King Abdullah University of Science and Technology have developed an AI-powered drone system capable of detecting, identifying and tracking camels in real time. The technology is designed to help herders manage livestock more efficiently while improving safety, reducing costs and promoting more sustainable grazing practices.
The project was developed in response to the practical realities of herding in remote desert environments, where monitoring animals across expansive terrain is both labor-intensive and costly. Designed as a low-cost solution, the system uses a small civilian drone equipped with a single camera, eliminating the need for expensive equipment or complex communication networks.
