The city of Zhanjiang, Guangdong province launched a drone on May 11, to patrol key waterways and sea areas to assist with maritime safety.

The drone will be used to keep an eye on several quays at the Baosteel Zhanjiang Base, neighboring water channels, offshore construction and sewage disposal from ships. It is the first time the maritime safety administration has employed high-tech methods for maritime supervision.

The drone is able to fly at a speed of 72 kilometers per hour to an altitude of 120 meters. It can take 4K high-definition panoramic photos, and send the data back to base in real time.

Typically, the drone would be put into action in the case of fires at sea, collisions, oil detection, as well as other emergencies, to provide evidence for the authority.

The city's maritime safety administration plans to apply the drones to other fields in the future, including construction in shallow water, offshore access order-keeping and the anchoring order of ships.

The drone conducts an air patrol on several quays of the Baosteel Zhanjiang Base on May 11. [Photo/yinsha.com]