Drones, autonomous vehicles revolutionize logistics sector in China

Drones and autonomous vehicles, showcased at this year's international exhibition on transport technology and equipment in Beijing, have been transforming China's logistics industry and improving the quality of life.

The 16th International Exhibition on Transport Technology and Equipment, also known as China Transpo, opened on Sunday at Beijing's Shougang Park. Hosted by the Ministry of Transport, the three-day event drew over 80 leading companies and institutions from the transportation sector.

The exhibition saw companies showcasing their cutting-edge automation solutions, with a standout being a drone model capable of carrying up to 15 kilograms with a range of 120 kilometers.

The model has already been in use in Jiaxing, a city of east China's Zhejiang Province, delivering medical supplies and food, all monitored through a smart platform that tracks flight routes in real time.

For example, with drones transporting blood samples, villagers in the Sanxing Village of the city, who previously had to travel to city hospitals for lab tests, can have their tests done locally and receive results within two hours.

"Take liver function tests for example, we couldn't conduct such tests at our clinic. Now, with drones transporting blood samples to city hospitals, diagnostic efficiency has significantly improved. If we're short of medicine, the drones also quickly bring them from the hospitals," said Xu Jingfeng, a doctor of the Sanxing Village clinic.

Currently, Jiaxing has established six low-altitude drone delivery routes for medical supplies, covering major hospitals, community clinics and village health centers. Compared to traditional ground transport, drone deliveries cut transport time by nearly 60 percent.

Beyond medical deliveries, drones are also being used for food and parcel delivery. Even in scenic areas, tourists can get takeouts delivered by drones.

"Traditional food delivery takes at least 30 minutes. With drones, we save about two-thirds of that time. This year, we've operated 13 drone delivery routes, completing over 1,300 flights," said He Quan, deputy head of the Nanhu Research Institute for Future Transportation, dedicated to the study and application of smart transportation solutions.

While drones are boosting air deliveries, autonomous delivery vehicles are improving efficiency, particularly in handling the "last mile" of package deliveries on ground. Equipped with 11 cameras and three radar systems, these vehicles can detect traffic lights, lane markings and obstacles, completing a 4-kilometer delivery in just 10 minutes.

Today, smart technologies like parcel sorting robots, drones and autonomous vehicles have been integrated across China's major courier networks. With over 270,000 delivery vehicles in use, these innovations are reducing delivery times and helping move around 440 million parcels between urban and rural areas daily.

Drones, autonomous vehicles revolutionize logistics sector in China

The Iranian government is focusing on public concerns and maintaining stable supplies of essential goods amid recent protests, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said in a televised interview on Sunday.

In the city of Karaj, northwest of the capital Tehran, daily life has largely continued as normal. A video filmed by a local resident on Sunday shows food stores open and grocery shelves fully stocked.

"This is the block near my home, and there are some food stores here. Daily life continues here. Last night we did not see many protests in Karaj. Right now the city is very safe. This is a grocery store close to my home. All the food is available; nothing is in shortage. Here are noodles and different types of beans. Here are dairy products, cheese, and yogurt. I also checked other grocery stores and didn't see any shortages. Everything is available," said local resident Ali Reza.

Iranian officials have described recent disturbances as acts orchestrated by the "enemy," including some carried out by well-trained and armed "terrorists." The incidents have caused casualties among security personnel and civilians, as well as property damage.

The Secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council Ali Larijani has directed authorities to severely punish the "terrorists."

Meanwhile, Iran's police chief Ahmad-Reza Radan said on Sunday that the police had raised alert levels and arrested several leaders of the troublemakers during the operations on Saturday.

President Pezeshkian noted in the interview that the normal demands of the Iranian people are reasonable and justified, but they must realize that triggering riots and carrying out terrorist acts are the enemy's attempts to undermine the country. He urged the public to remain vigilant.

Also on Sunday, Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf warned that Tehran would regard U.S. and Israeli bases and facilities in the Middle East as "legitimate targets" if Washington takes military action against Iran. His remarks followed media reports saying U.S. President Donald Trump is "seriously considering authorizing a strike" against Iran.

Iranian state media reported that at least 109 members of Iran's security forces have been killed in clashes since the protests began 14 days ago. Meanwhile, human rights groups based outside the country said the number of protesters killed has exceeded 200, though the figure could not be independently verified.

The protests initially erupted over a sharp depreciation of the rial and sweeping subsidy reforms. Iranian authorities have blamed the unrest on foreign-linked agents and sanctions imposed by the United States.

Iranian president says government focusing on ensuring supplies amid protests