Unmanned emergency solutions save lives

Unmanned technologies have emerged as frontline emergency response solutions in flood rescue operations after a typhoon battered the Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region, with drones restoring mobile networks, robotic boats replacing rescuers in dangerous waters and satellite communications reconnecting isolated communities cut off from the outside world.

The operation reflects how China is increasingly deploying technologies once associated with military or industrial applications for humanitarian disaster response, turning unmanned systems into what industry experts describe as "airborne lifelines".

After heavy rainfall triggered reservoir overflows and widespread flooding across the region, the Ministry of Emergency Management dispatched two Wing Loong emergency drones at the request of local authorities to restore communications in some of the worst-hit areas.

Flying above flooded villages in Hengzhou, where residents had been left without mobile services after the communications infrastructure was damaged, the drones temporarily rebuilt public mobile coverage enabling more than 180 users to access the network.

The emergency version of the Wing Loong drone was specifically designed for so-called "three disruptions" scenarios, where road, electricity and communication networks all fail simultaneously.

The long-endurance aircraft can temporarily restore mobile network coverage across roughly 50 square kilometers, while establishing an emergency voice and video communications network covering up to 15,000 square kilometers.

Elsewhere, drones were also used to evacuate residents and deliver emergency supplies. Alongside government rescue efforts, volunteers spontaneously mobilized dozens of DJI drones to transport food, medicine and other essential supplies to communities cut off by floodwaters.

In Qinzhou, where fast-moving currents and floating debris made manual surveys too dangerous, unmanned survey boats navigated swollen rivers carrying acoustic Doppler current profilers to measure water velocity and discharge.

The robotic vessels collected data that normally would have required engineers to enter hazardous floodwaters, providing emergency response managers with real-time information to guide reservoir operations and flood-control decisions while reducing potential risks to rescue personnel.

Wang Peng, a researcher at the Beijing Academy of Social Sciences, said: "They vividly demonstrate that the ultimate purpose of technology is to serve people. Drone companies and official rescue teams worked together to build efficient 'airborne lifelines'."

Wang also suggested China consider introducing more flexible regulatory arrangements for humanitarian rescue missions involving lifesaving operations and emergency supply deliveries.