en.Wedoany.com Reported - Zhejiang Mobile has dispatched the only medium-sized vertical takeoff and landing fixed-wing communication drone base station in East China to Wenzhou, in response to the extreme weather potentially brought by Typhoon Bavi, deploying aerial emergency communication support in advance.
As Typhoon Bavi approaches, Zhejiang has fully entered a state of emergency preparedness for typhoon resistance. Typhoon disasters can easily cause road disruptions, power outages, and communication failures, preventing ground repair forces from reaching affected areas quickly, creating communication "islands" in disaster zones. Traditional ground-based emergency communication vehicles and portable communication backpacks are limited by road conditions and struggle to function, making post-disaster communication restoration a challenge.
To address this emergency support challenge, Zhejiang Mobile urgently dispatched this fixed-wing communication drone base station. With a wingspan of 6 meters, the drone integrates long-distance mobility, extended endurance, wide-area communication restoration, and comprehensive disaster reconnaissance capabilities. Xia Jiale, a network optimization engineer at Wenzhou Mobile, explained that the value of the fixed-wing communication drone lies in its ability to deliver communication signals from the air before ground routes are cleared.
The drone requires no dedicated runway, needing only a 20-meter by 20-meter clear area for vertical takeoff and landing. Once the support vehicle arrives on site, it can be deployed and airborne in as little as 7 minutes, with signals connecting within seconds of startup. It has a maximum range of 500 kilometers, an endurance of up to 5 hours, and can simultaneously meet the communication needs of 1,200 people. It can quickly ascend from areas outside the disaster zone where ground routes are inaccessible, effectively moving the communication base station into the air.
Currently, the drone has completed all pre-flight tests and communication integration in Wenzhou, fully preparing for Typhoon Bavi. Additionally, Zhejiang Mobile has coordinated and consolidated rescue resources, completed inspections and maintenance of emergency communication vehicles, drones, satellite equipment, generators, and other gear, formed 818 repair teams with 1,776 support personnel, deployed repair vehicles, generators, and kayaks, and stocked sufficient fuel, optical cables, and flood prevention materials. The entire network is under 24-hour monitoring, integrated with weather warnings, and hazard inspections and rectifications are being carried out for equipment rooms, lines, and poles.
