KACST Develops Smart 'Roya' Platform to Support Security and Operational Activities in the Holy Sites

The King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology (KACST), in partnership with the General Directorate of Public Security at the Ministry of Interior, has developed the smart “Roya” platform, which leverages artificial intelligence, remote sensing technologies, and Geographic Information Systems (GIS) to support security and operational activities in the holy sites, enhancing response speed and decision-making accuracy during the Hajj and Umrah seasons.

 The platform provides advanced technical services, including the analysis of satellite imagery and geospatial data to study traffic movement and monitor crowd density, while also delivering field indicators that support security authorities in efficiently managing critical locations. These capabilities contribute to improving pilgrims’ experience and enhancing safety and organization across the holy sites.

 The platform also offers advanced analyses of thermal zones and land surface temperature variations in Makkah and the holy sites, in addition to detecting irregular patterns and transforming data into spatial reports that enhance the efficiency of field operations and accelerate information flow to specialized teams.

 KACST explained that the Roya platform currently displays nearly 2,000 satellite images from the current and previous seasons, in addition to 126 aerial imaging operations covering Makkah, Madinah, the holy sites, and the roads leading to them. The platform also provides urban heat island monitoring services, offering a more comprehensive environmental and climate assessment to support monitoring and field analysis activities.

 KACST noted that all platform operations are currently fully automated, beginning with the import of satellite and aerial data and imagery, through processing and analysis stages, and culminating in the automatic and real-time display of outputs and statistics. This has contributed to enhancing operational efficiency and accelerating the data-processing cycle.

 Operated by KACST, the Roya platform is connected to the General Directorate of Public Security’s network through the Command and Control Center. It features an interactive interface that enables real-time data visualization, contributing to improved services for pilgrims and enhanced operational readiness in high-density locations.

 The platform is part of the National Laboratory’s efforts at KACST to develop technological solutions and build smart platforms, supporting the objectives of Saudi Vision 2030 in strengthening a knowledge-based and innovation-driven digital economy.