On Monday, five drones took off from the drone station inside the Metro Line 16 depot to inspect the Metro lines and capture images and videos of suspected illegal construction projects in the Metro line operation areas.
In the Metro line operation offices, employees use AI technologies to analyze data and find violations, and then they issue orders to address the violations.
The aerial drone surveillance effectively exposes unauthorized activities and illegal construction in the train operational zones, allowing the train operator to conduct early detection, early intervention, and act swiftly to curb such violations as early as possible, according to Shenzhen Metro Group.
A single drone can monitor about 42 square kilometers of operational areas a day. Aerial drone patrols are about six times more efficient than traditional human patrols.
When there are no humans on duty, the drones can autonomously conduct inspections, identify trains, inspect contact wires, monitor hazardous machinery work at construction sites, and issue warning alerts. By detecting potential blind spots that are often ignored by human inspections, the efficiency of construction site inspections has been improved.
Using drones to survey major rail transportation projects not only significantly reduces on-site costs, but also provides more precise foundational data to support subsequent construction, according to Shenzhen Metro.
Apart from aerial patrols, the company currently uses a total of 60 drones for project surveys. Along the Metro lines, Shenzhen Metro has established five drone stations equipped with functions like automated take-off, landing, charging, and 24/7 standby capabilities.
In addition, the company has developed low-altitude digital twin technology and constructed a drone flying control platform. This real-time remote drone control system encompasses functions like dispatching, flight control, route planning, data management, flight logging, and route management.
Since 2019, Shenzhen Metro has gradually expanded the uses of drones, such as in survey mapping, project development, construction, and Metro line operation maintenance. These drones have surveyed and mapped nearly 100 projects, conducted patrols at 35 construction sites, and covered an area of more than 400 square kilometers.