The 9th World Drone Congress concluded in tech hub Shenzhen in south China Sunday after displaying over 5,000 drone models, demonstrating how the technology has expanded into more than 200 application scenarios ranging from agricultural logistics to firefighting and entertainment.
The annual industry gathering featured cutting-edge innovations including unmanned helicopters, multi-rotor aircraft, and electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) vehicles, highlighting China's latest advancements in drone technology. International buyers crowded exhibition halls to source Chinese-made products.
In recent years, the rapid advancement of 5G connectivity and artificial intelligence has propelled drone technology into uncharted territories. What began as aerial photography tools now transforms operations across cultural tourism, emergency response, transportation, and urban governance. Industry innovators are racing to capitalize on this expansion.
In Guangdong's Maoming, drones are revolutionizing lychee harvesting. At a local orchard, farmers were loading freshly picked lychees onto transport drones that are able to carry 85 kg of fruit along pre-programmed routes to cold chain centers in just five minutes per kilometer, solving longstanding transportation challenges in the mountainous region.
Meanwhile in Chengdu, southwest China's Sichuan Province, a recent emergency drill demonstrated drones' lifesaving potential. During a simulated high-rise fire, reconnaissance drones created 3D models to locate flames and trapped victims, while drone-delivered supplies and coordinated firefighting UAVs extinguished blazes from 100-meter altitudes with foam retardant.
The technology also creates dazzling displays. In the night sky above the Liuyang River in central China's Hunan Province, 1,000 drones synchronized with fireworks to form dynamic aerial patterns before launching pyrotechnic cascades that thrilled spectators.
Global drone expo highlights increasing applications across industries
