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General Studies 2025 GS Paper I 15 marks 250 words Compulsory How

GS Paper I — Q15

How can Artificial Intelligence (AI) and drones be effectively used along with GIS and RS techniques in locational and areal…

How can Artificial Intelligence (AI) and drones be effectively used along with GIS and RS techniques in locational and areal planning ? (Answer in 250 words) 15 marks

हिंदी में प्रश्न पढ़ें

स्थानीय और क्षेत्रीय योजना बनाने में जी.आई.एस. और आर.एस. तकनीकों के साथ कृत्रिम बुद्धिमत्ता (ए.आई.) और ड्रोन का प्रभावी ढंग से उपयोग कैसे किया जा सकता है ? (उत्तर 250 शब्दों में दीजिए) 15 marks

Q15 of the 2025 UPSC Mains General Studies GS Paper I, as printed
The question as printed in the 2025 General Studies paper
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Model answer

Written by UPSC Answer Check against this question's marking rubric, to the 250-word length. UPSC does not publish answers for Mains — this is one way to score well, not an official key.

The convergence of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and drones with Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and Remote Sensing (RS) creates a robust spatial intelligence framework, transforming locational and areal planning through real-time data acquisition and predictive modelling.

Urban Sprawl and Environmental Zoning AI-powered processing of drone imagery allows automated land-use/land-cover (LULC) classification and change detection, enabling real-time monitoring of urban sprawl and encroachment. Concurrently, integrating multi-spectral RS satellite data with GIS layers supports digital elevation modelling, slope stability analysis, and disaster-prone zone identification (e.g., floodplains and seismic belts), ensuring climate-resilient master planning.

Infrastructure Siting and Smart Governance Machine learning algorithms deployed on GIS platforms perform predictive multi-criteria decision analysis to determine optimal sites for linear and areal infrastructure, including highways, reservoirs, and industrial corridors. In urban governance, AI-driven spatial analytics support MoHUA’s Smart Cities Mission and AMRUT scheme through real-time utility mapping, traffic corridor optimisation, and automated property-tax geo-tagging.

Rural and Natural Resource Management Drone-based LiDAR and high-resolution photogrammetry generate precise micro-topographical data essential for watershed planning, drainage network design, and precision agriculture zoning. This integration facilitates accurate cadastral mapping and land-titling under initiatives like the SVAMITVA scheme.

Challenges and Way Forward Key bottlenecks include spatial data security, platform interoperability issues, the digital divide across local bodies, and regulatory constraints under DGCA drone rules. Streamlining DGCA airspace approvals, enforcing National Geospatial Policy (2022) data-sharing standards, and building institutional technical capacity will ensure seamless spatial analytics for balanced regional development.

What "How" is asking you to do

Set out the route by which the outcome comes about, step by step. Many how stems ask how one thing affects another, and there the channel of transmission is precisely what is being marked.

Structure that answers it

Starting condition → step → step → outcome reached → the conditions the route depends on

Where marks are lost

Answering why it happens instead of how, the commonest single misread in the paper. An answer full of causes and significance that never traces the mechanism has answered a different question.

All UPSC directive words, compared →

How this answer will be evaluated

Approach

Framework: GS1 Paper 1 Method. explain: definition/context > points in order > small example > short close Full marks: Clear mechanism of AI+Drone+GIS/RS synergy with specific planning examples

Key points expected

  • Define the specific role of AI in processing RS data
  • Explain how drones provide high-resolution data for GIS
  • Link these technologies to specific locational planning outcomes
  • Link these technologies to specific areal planning outcomes

Evaluation rubric

Each sub-part is marked on its own, against the marks and word limit printed on the paper.

  1. The answer Explain the specific mechanisms by which AI and drones enhance GIS/RS for locational and areal planning. 15 marks · 250 words

    explain— definition/context → points in order → small example → short close

    Must cover

    • Define the specific role of AI in processing RS data
    • Explain how drones provide high-resolution data for GIS
    • Link these technologies to specific locational planning outcomes
    • Link these technologies to specific areal planning outcomes

    Loses marks

    • Generic description of AI or drones without GIS/RS link
    • Narrating history of technology instead of explaining mechanism
    • Confusing locational and areal planning concepts

    Earns more

    • Mention specific AI algorithms (e.g., CNNs for classification)
    • Distinguish between locational (point) and areal (area) planning
    • Provide a concrete example of a planning application
    • Discuss the synergy between the four technologies

    Extra mark

    • Cite a specific case study (e.g., smart city project)
    • Include a 30-second sketch map showing data flow

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