Baku’s Old City to deploy AI and drones to protect ancient landmarks

Azerbaijan’s historic Old City (Icherisheher) will utilize AI-driven security and 3D drone scanning to preserve its medieval architectural heritage, officials announced on Tuesday.

Aytaj Alisultanli, a board member of the "Icherisheher" State Historical-Architectural Reserve, said the administration is transitioning toward high-tech solutions like Near Field Communication (NFC) and Augmented Reality (AR) to provide visitor information. "The era of QR codes is becoming a thing of the past," Alisultanli told a year-end conference.

To improve preservation and safety, the reserve has lowered vehicle speed limits to 10 km/h and plans to introduce an AI-based permit system for entry. The administration also intends to implement renewable energy sources, automated waste management, and advanced irrigation systems within the UNESCO World Heritage site.