The University of Leeds is leading a pioneering £4.2 million ($6.49 million) project to create "self-repairing cities" by developing robots that can fixThe project will develop small robots to identify problems with utility pipes, street lights and roads and fix them with minimal environmental impact and disruption to the public. street lights and potholes.

The researchers will develop robots to identify problems with utility pipes, street lights and roads and fix them with minimal disruption to the public.

The initial robots will include drones that can perch on street lights to carry out repairs, fix potholes and robots within utility pipes that can perform inspections and repairs.

Professor Phil Purnell, leading the research team from the School of Civil Engineering, says, "We want to make Leeds the first city in the world to have zero disruption from street works.”

The project will also track the social, environmental, political and economic impact of these new technologies in the city.

The initiative is funded by the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council and is part of £21 million ($32.43 million) funding for Engineering Grand Challenges research.

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