CHONGQING (CQNEWS) -- Chongqing's first unmanned airship loaded with a 5G base station made the first successful flight recently, according to China Mobile Group Chongqing Co., Ltd. This air-ground integrated 5G emergency protection system based on the aerostat will be used for emergency protection of communication, rescue, and environmental monitoring in the future.

Chongqing Mobile introduced that they developed the system jointly with Chongqing Nearspace Innovation R&D Center of Shanghai Jiao Tong University.

Different from the traditional small unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) base station, the aerostat features “long flight time, no noise, low energy consumption, and large loading capacity”. The tested aerostat is 6 meters long in diameter; with a loading capacity of 13 kg, it can carry a great variety of equipment including systems for communication, photographing, and environment. It can float up to 300 meters above sea level and stay in the sky for more than 7 days, which helps to implement the emergency functions of communication support, environmental monitoring, high-definition cloud view, and emergency rescue.

“The aerostat can lift off within half an hour and in extreme weather like strong wind and heavy rain, it can quickly build a communication security network connecting the disaster area and the outside world.” Fang Dongxu, the senior expert of Chongqing Mobile, introduced that as it stays at a high altitude, the air quality detection equipment, the meteorological monitoring equipment and other detection devices it carries can, in a wide range, monitor the meteorological environment, water quality and forest fires in disaster areas. With the 360° high-definition video-recording equipment on the airship, video monitoring can be carried out around the clock; with 5G enhancement technology, the airship can send back first-hand high-definition pictures and videos to the rescue department in a timely manner.

In addition, the airship is equipped with systems like sound amplification, lighting, and high-definition infrared equipment, which also play an important role in the search and rescue at night, in fog, in forests, or in other scenarios.

Chongqing Mobile will continue its technological innovation, expand its cooperation with colleges and universities on the development of portable integrated airships, establish a new emergency communication mode, promote the implementation of air-ground integrated rescue communication technology, and extend the application of 5G communication support. (Translated by Cai Xinyu, Fathom Language Limited)