Timelapse in the Desert: Our Mission in Saudi Arabia (Riyadh)
- MK timelapse
- Aug 6
- 6 min read
Kicking Off an Ambitious Timelapse Project in the Desert Highlands of Saudi Arabia
About the project
In the heart of Saudi Arabia’s desert highlands, just outside the capital Riyadh, one of the Kingdom’s most ambitious construction projects is currently underway. Over the coming years, the region surrounding Riyadh will become a focal point of Vision 2030 – a far-reaching development initiative aimed at transforming Saudi Arabia into a modern, diversified economy.
Spanning several square kilometers across rugged desert terrain, the megaproject includes multiple construction phases and extensive infrastructure work. It forms a key part of the country’s long-term urban and economic transformation.
While the project name and specific details remain confidential at this stage, it is already clear that this development is monumental – not only in its technical scale, but also in its cultural significance.
Extreme conditions such as intense heat, sandstorms, and relentless sun, along with the sheer size and remoteness of the site, pose unique challenges in terms of planning, installation, and maintenance.
This is exactly where our work begins – as part of an international team documenting the progress of this groundbreaking project.
Extreme conditions in the desert
The region around Riyadh, in the heart of Saudi Arabia, is characterized by an impressive yet challenging landscape. Beyond the bustling metropolis lies a vast desert expanse stretching over hundreds of square kilometers.
This environment is harsh, dry, and largely undeveloped - offering plenty of space for the large-scale development projects currently underway in Saudi Arabia.
The terrain is far from monotonous: expansive sand dunes alternate with rocky plateaus, dry riverbeds, and rugged hills. Natural vegetation is sparse, mainly consisting of hardy shrubs, acacias, and occasional palms that grow in depressions where water briefly collects after rare rains.
The climate in this region of Saudi Arabia is among the most extreme in the world.
Summers are long, hot, and dry, with daytime temperatures regularly soaring above 45 degrees Celsius (113°F). Nights often remain warm as well, with temperatures staying above 30 degrees Celsius (86°F). Rainfall is rare and usually occurs in heavy bursts, sometimes causing flash floods.
Another characteristic of the desert climate are sand and dust storms that can develop within minutes, drastically reducing visibility. These so-called “Shamal” winds are especially strong during the transitional periods between spring and summer.
Despite these harsh conditions, the desert around Riyadh holds a unique allure: the silence, the play of light on the sand at sunrise and sunset, the endless horizon - all of these make the area a truly special place and an incredible subject for our cameras.
Our timelapse systems & their installation
For the long-term visual documentation of this large-scale construction project in Saudi Arabia, we are initially deploying five of our proven MK timelapse camera systems - designed for extreme environments and configured for autonomous, continuous operation powered by solar energy. The remote location of the construction site, situated in the desert outside Riyadh, demands a reliable, energy-independent solution that remains fully operational even under harsh climatic conditions.
A key focus of this project is image quality. Our MK V50 camera systems capture individual images at a resolution of 50 megapixels, delivering razor-sharp details that enable precise and comprehensive monitoring of the construction progress. This high resolution is maintained with every single shot, allowing even the smallest changes to be accurately tracked over extended periods.
All five installed systems operate with a fixed capture interval of one image per minute - producing quality that far exceeds standard expectations.
Since the project site is located far outside Riyadh with no access to electrical infrastructure, all systems operate fully autonomously using solar power. Each system is equipped with two vertically mounted 200-watt solar panels. The vertical orientation was deliberately chosen to minimize dust and sand buildup. The generated power is stored in LiFePO4 batteries with a storage capacity of 2.4 kWh. These batteries are significantly lighter than conventional lead-acid batteries, which saved us considerable effort during transport and setup on the rocky plateaus. Even under complete cloud cover or during sandstorms, the systems can operate continuously for up to five days without sunlight.
All our camera systems come standard with an self-cleaning system, including a wiper and a fresh water tank. While this feature is standard for MK timelapse, it is especially crucial for a construction project in the Kingdom. Due to wind, dust, and sandstorms, the camera enclosures get covered in soot and the image quality would suffer from a dirty glass. The automatic wiper system ensures the glas remains clear at all times, guaranteeing sharp images without the need for manual cleaning.
Despite the extreme temperatures in the desert regularly exceeding 45 degrees Celsius (113°F), no additional hardware modifications were necessary. Our systems are designed by default to withstand such heat and continue functioning reliably. However, the transport and setup, which we carried out in collaboration with our local partner GTV over four days, truly pushed us to our limits and had us sweating hard.
All our camera systems are strategically positioned on a rocky plateau surrounding the construction site. This elevated vantage point provides an optimal, unobstructed view of all construction phases - a crucial advantage for a large-scale project spanning a vast area.
A particular highlight is our dual-camera system: it consists of two MK V50 cameras, each with a 50-megapixel resolution, whose fields of view slightly overlap. Each camera covers an angle of about 100 degrees. On our server, the two individual images are seamlessly stitched together into a panoramic view with an overall field of view of approximately 180 degrees and a resolution of 14,000 × 4,847 pixels. Yes, indeed this is a 14K recording.
This stitching is performed in real-time, allowing our client to access the panoramic view live at any time through our online monitoring tool, MK SiteView. Especially for complex large-scale construction projects, of which there are many in Saudi Arabia, where multiple phases run simultaneously across a vast area - this interface provides an efficient, high-resolution monitoring tool to maintain oversight and document every step of the process in detail.
Systems
5x MK V50
Resolution
50 Megapixels
Interval
1 Picture a minute
Field of view
60 - 180 Degrees
Highlights
Dual Panorama System with 180-Degree Field of View
Our local partner: GTV Film Productions
A key factor in the success of this project is our close collaboration with our local partner, GTV. Based in the United Arab Emirates and in Riyadh, GTV is highly familiar with the conditions in the region and supports us with all on-site operational tasks.
While MK timelapse provides the complete technical infrastructure - including camera systems, server architecture, and extensive expertise in timelapse technology- GTV handles logistics, communication with the client and relevant authorities, as well as ongoing maintenance of the camera systems on-site. GTV also can rely on a network of drone operators, LIDAR technicians and all aspects of high quality movie production.
For the installation of the first five systems, our Managing Director Max was on location himself and successfully carried out the commissioning together with the team of GTV.
This trusted partnership ensures smooth operations - not only during the current phase but also for future projects.
For more information about GTV, visit gtv.ae.
Outlook on the further course of the project
For MK timelapse, this project marks a major milestone in our international project work. It demonstrates how highly specialized timelapse technology can be deployed reliably and long-term - even under extreme conditions and in remote desert regions of Saudi Arabia, far from any urban infrastructure.
At the same time, this project joins a series of successful large-scale ventures in the Middle East. In Qatar, for example, we were able to prove our expertise under similar climatic conditions: back then, we documented the construction of several stadiums for the FIFA World Cup (Watch on YouTube) - also over extended periods of time, using custom-configured camera systems built to withstand the region’s tough environmental challenges. The experience gained from the Qatar project played a key role in refining our technology and workflows - and today forms the foundation for our successful deployment in Saudi Arabia.
This current endeavor is not only technically demanding but also a prime example of effective international collaboration. While the camera systems, server infrastructure, and timelapse expertise originate from Germany, installation and on-site operations are handled in close cooperation with our regional partner GTV from the United Arab Emirates.
By placing our cameras on elevated rocky plateaus, we’ve ensured an unobstructed, wide-angle view of all construction phases - both now and as the project continues to grow in scale and height. With a resolution of 50 megapixels and a fixed capture interval of one image per minute, this project sets a new benchmark in timelapse documentation in the region.
We are proud to contribute to the visibility and continuous documentation of one of the most significant development projects currently underway in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia - and we look forward to supporting the next phases of construction.
Our local partner: gtv.ae
More about our technology: https://www.mktimelapse.com/technology
Our Qatar projects: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLN_86RE-u7jTVyM27VP3G-tkzT5cH6UTA&si=ux7l3IG12nF7ious
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