Guangzhou police launch passenger-carrying drone

China's first police passenger-carrying unmanned aerial vehicle was commissioned and granted an airworthiness certificate in Guangzhou, capital of South China's Guangdong province, on Jan 10.

The two-person EH216S, developed by Guangzhou-based autonomous aerial vehicle company EHang, has a maximum take-off weight of 650 kilograms, a maximum speed of 130 kilometers per hour and a range of 30 km. The launch coincided with the 6th Chinese People's Police Day and the 40th anniversary of the 110 police hotline service in Guangzhou.

Also known as an electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft, the UAV has an 8-axis, 16-rotor distributed power design.

It is capable of autonomous flight along pre-set routes, greatly enhancing the flexibility of police deployment.

The UAV is also the world's first manned vertical take-off and landing aircraft to have obtained a type certificate, production certificate, standard airworthiness certificate and operation certificate, according to a statement released by Guangzhou's Huangpu district bureau of public security.

Utilizing its advantages such as rapid response, flexible deployment, aerial perspective and multidimensional data transmission, Huangpu district public security bureau said it will fully integrate the vehicle into various scenarios including daily patrols, emergency response, traffic regulation, and search and rescue operations.

"It will inject stronger scientific and technological impetus into safeguarding the security and stability of the prosperous district," the statement said.

In addition to drones, police across the southern metropolis recently showcased artificial intelligence robotic dogs, helicopters, motorboats, armored anti-riot vehicles, police dogs and related new and high-tech police equipment during a police open day.

New and heavy-duty police equipment were showcased to the general public, demonstrating the force's determination and capability in fighting against any crime through a trinity of maritime, land and air operations.

A police officer from Guangzhou's Yuexiu district, surnamed Chen, said the intelligent robot dog integrates multiple functions including large language models, voice control, voice interaction and image recognition.

"They (robot dogs) can replace police officers in entering dangerous sites such as explosive ordnance disposal scenes or mountain forests to perform risky tasks," Chen said.

Zhang Changqiang, a local resident, said experiencing the high-tech police equipment brings a strong sense of security to the general public. "Needless to say, this high-tech police equipment serves as a powerful deterrent to criminals," he said.

Li Wang, an office worker from Guangzhou's Yuexiu district, said the police open day allowed the general public to get access to a host of police weapons and equipment that are otherwise inaccessible to them in daily life.

zhengcaixiong@chinadaily.com.cn