UAE employs AI-driven drones for Shawwal moon sighting

WAM
29 Mar 2025, 17:29 GMT+10

ABU DHABI, 29th March, 2025 (WAM) -- The UAE Council for Fatwa is using AI-powered drones to sight the Shawwal crescent moon for the year 1446 AH, underscoring the country's leadership in adopting innovative technological solutions for monitoring and observation.

The council is the first in the world to utilise this advanced technology for moon sighting, having employed it earlier this year to observe the Ramadan crescent.

In a significant technological advancement, several drones will be deployed from Al-Khatim Astronomical Observatory, which are equipped with high-precision lenses that will rise more than 300 metres above ground, directed toward the location of the moon based on precise astronomical calculations. This approach, which the council will deploy for the second consecutive time, aims to overcome challenges that may obstruct visual sighting and ensure the atmospheric clarity needed for accurate observation.

Additionally, innovative AI-powered technologies will be used to analyse images, process data, and determine the location of the crescent's birth and the possibility of its visibility with precision.

The use of AI-powered drones extends the concept of direct visual observation, which remains the primary method for confirming the sighting of the crescent moon, following the Prophet Muhammad's (peace be upon him) saying, "Do not fast unless you see the crescent (of Ramadan), and do not give up fasting till you see the crescent (of Shawwal), but if the sky is overcast (if you cannot see it), then act on estimation."

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