Drone hub launched to enhance Taihu Lake environmental monitoring
The Jiangsu Environmental Monitoring Center has started monitoring Taihu Lake using drones dispatched from a dedicated hub on the roof of the Chendong Port Water Station in Yixing, Wuxi City.
The period from March to October is crucial for the water quality monitoring of China's third-largest freshwater lake, with Yixing on its western shore being a focal area. Previously, monitoring was conducted by human inspectors, who often faced challenges due to hot, rainy and windy conditions. The adoption of smart drones improves the efficiency and accuracy of environmental monitoring while reducing the manual workload.
The newly established drone hub effectively overcomes difficulties related to drone operation and flying range, significantly aiding ecological and environment governance.
The drone hub started trial operations in October 2023 and has since conducted multiple flights along the lake’s western shore, gathering rich and valuable data. During the key monitoring period for algae bloom, the center plans to conduct eight flights from the hub, covering a distance of 8 kilometers per mission and about 90 square kilometers daily.