A photo of a drone deployed by Zhoushan Customs. [Photo/zhoushan.cn]

A multi-rotor drone took off from Zhoushan Customs and efficiently completed a supervision task of international ships through precise target locking via the automatic identification system on May 14.

This marks the first deployment and use of a drone docking station in China (Zhejiang) Pilot Free Trade Zone by Zhoushan Customs, opening a new chapter in the application of drone technology in customs intelligent supervision.

The drone docking station deployed by Zhoushan Customs supports the automatic take-off, landing, charging, maintenance, and storage of drones, without the need for manual intervention. Equipped with four optical cameras, thermal imaging, and other advanced equipment, the drones support target tracking and voice warning functions, reaching the target area within 5 minutes with a coverage radius of up to 10 kilometers.

In practical supervision, drone images are transmitted back to the backend system in real-time via the internet of things network. Once anomalies are detected through risk analysis, customs officers are promptly alerted, and supervision vessels are quickly mobilized, achieving integrated collaboration in air, land, sea, and personnel networks to further enhance supervision efficiency and emergency response capabilities.

Zhoushan Customs jurisdiction currently includes 65 customs supervision sites and 30 bonded supervision sites spreading across 24 large and small islands and surrounding waters, with extensive daily supervision tasks.