Tech Weekly | 12 – 19 May 2025
Automation Ascends: Drones, Data Centres and Borneo’s Sustainable Build Vision
Main Story — Aonic’s Drone & Machine-Control Push Takes Flight
Malaysia’s fast-growing dronetech company Aonic has set its sights on Indonesia and the Philippines as the next markets for its end-to-end automation ecosystem. While best known for agriculture spraying drones, Aonic’s 2025 roadmap puts construction and infrastructure squarely in focus: through a partnership with CHCNAV, the firm is rolling out AI-powered machine-control solutions for earthworks, road building and site levelling that promise centimetre-level accuracy and major labour savings. CEO Cheong Jin Xi says demand is rising because local contractors “need speed and precision without relying on scarce skilled survey crews.” The company already supports adoption with Aonic Flex financing and a 30-location service network, and reports RM100 million in 2023 revenue with double-digit growth. As Malaysia ramps up public-works spending, Aonic’s blend of hardware, software, training and financing positions it as a home-grown automation champion ready to scale across Southeast Asia.
Innovation Snippets
ICW Borneo 2025 champions climate-smart construction
Fresh off its 13–14 May run in Kuching, the inaugural International Construction Week Borneo placed “Innovative Construction for a Sustainable Future” at centre stage. Sarawak Premier Abang Johari called the summit a “call to action” for ASEAN builders to embrace low-carbon materials, rain-harvesting systems and circular-economy design as the region gears up for rapid growth.GPU cap lifted — data-centre construction gets tail-wind
The US has dropped rules that limited Malaysia to 50,000 AI-grade GPUs, clearing the way for hyperscale data-centre investments forecast to hit 1.2 GW over five years. Analysts say contractors such as Sunway Construction and YTL Power will be key beneficiaries as AI workloads drive demand for high-spec facilities.AI Leadership Conference stresses ‘trust architecture’
At PwC Malaysia’s AI Leadership Conference (13 May), Digital Minister Gobind Singh Deo argued Malaysia must build a national trust framework so businesses can safely scale generative AI. PwC’s chief digital officer Sundara Raj urged leaders to move AI ownership beyond “just the IT guy” and embed governance into every project workflow — construction included.
Global Innovation Watch
Smarter 3-D-printed concrete
French researchers unveiled a variable-layer-thickness method that trims 25 % of material in 3-D-printed concrete walls by adjusting robot speed in real time, slashing waste without sacrificing strength. The technique, published 14 May in Automation in Construction, offers a clear path to cheaper, greener printed structures — an area Malaysian IBS players are actively exploring.‘Superwood’ draws US$15 million to scale up
Maryland-based InventWood raised US$15 million to commercialise Superwood, a cell-structure-modified timber said to be stronger than steel yet light and fire-resistant. The startup plans Q3 shipments to architects looking for low-carbon structural options — a trend Malaysian developers eyeing green certifications will want to watch.
Expert Insight
“We’re seeing surging demand for AI-driven machine-control in road construction — accuracy, speed and cost savings translate straight to the bottom line,”
— Cheong Jin Xi, Founder & CEO, Aonic
Next Week’s Tech Teaser
Keep an eye on JKR’s pilot digital-twin programme for federal highways, expected to release early performance data — including how lidar and IoT sensors are reshaping preventive maintenance budgets. We’ll break down the results and what they mean for contractors bidding on smart-infrastructure projects.