Pengzhou, a mountainous city in southwest China's Sichuan Province, is developing a growing fleet of drones to help with urban management, emergency rescue, and equipment testing -- all in a determined push for safer and more efficient low-altitude flight services in its complex terrain.
In Pengzhou, a smart governance center serves as the city's digital brain, continuously gathering real-time data on its residents, vehicles, and urban conditions across various districts.
"This application is built for government affairs. It shows basic airspace conditions, tracks equipment and their distribution, and monitors task progress. For example, during a patrol, a fire was detected. The emergency command center immediately assigned the case and passed it down the chain, and various departments coordinated on-site to handle it. In the end, the fire was extinguished," said Zhang Guojun, vice president of operations at Sichuan Zongheng Fuyao Technology Co., Ltd., an industrial drone company that provides drone-based support for the city.
Powering this "brain" is a growing fleet of drones, sweeping across the city and venturing deep into the mountains.
"This is the latest generation from Zongheng. It features an all-in-one design that allows for seamless battery swapping and continuous operation. In Pengzhou alone, 10 of these units have been deployed," Zhang said.
Some drones survey mountain slopes and roadways, while others keep watch for disaster risks or inspect hard-to-reach areas. In a mountainous city like Pengzhou, low-altitude operations do more than save time -- they make the city run better.
Pengzhou is not only a smart city but also a vast testing ground for the low-altitude industry. With elevations ranging from around 400 meters to nearly 4,800 meters above sea level, the city offers ideal conditions for testing aircraft in complex mountain environments.
"If it suddenly pours like this during a flight, the drone can still complete its task. However, if we need to fly it back, the rain is simply too much for the return trip. We've also been testing how well these devices withstand heavy rain in the field," said Ni Feng'an, director of the Low-altitude Economy Service Department at Sichuan Xiangpeng Zhihang Technology Co., Ltd.
"Going forward, we're focusing on two main directions. First, leveraging our national-level testing base to strengthen flight trials, verification, and inspection services. Second, in line with China's growing focus on low-altitude safety, we're working with Amap to build an integrated low-altitude system, including route planning and flight services. The goal is to develop a comprehensive low-altitude flight service platform that will make operations across the region more efficient and safer," said Zhang Zhichen, deputy chief of the Low-Altitude Economy Section at the Pengzhou Transportation Bureau.
Mountainous city in Sichuan develops drones for safer low-altitude services
