ETRI and Busan launch AI-driven urban flood prediction platform

The Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute (ETRI) has launched a field demonstration for an AI and digital twin-based urban flood prediction and response platform in Busan. In collaboration with Busan Metropolitan City and several government-funded research institutes, the project aims to develop an integrated digital disaster response system capable of predicting, analyzing, and communicating urban flood risks.

The initiative is part of the ‘No WET City’ project, a convergence-type basic business under the National Research Council of Science and Technology (NST) with a total budget of approximately 33.8 billion won through 2029. ETRI will lead the development of core AI technologies, including a ‘hybrid urban flood prediction model’ that combines physical simulations with AI to analyze rainfall data, CCTV footage, drainage networks, and sensor data.

Participating organizations will provide specialized expertise: Busan Metropolitan City will provide urban data and conduct field tests; the Korea Institute of Civil Engineering and Building Technology (KICT) will focus on infrastructure-linked control technologies; the Korea Institute of Geoscience and Mineral Resources (KIGAM) will build a geological disaster response platform; and the Korea Railroad Research Institute (KRRI) will enhance extreme rainfall resilience for railway infrastructure.