Drones guide visitors at Gui'an Cherry Blossom Park

Gui'an Cherry Blossom Park enters its peak tourist season in March. Two police drones have taken to the skies as "air patrols", reminding visitors to enjoy the blossoms responsibly with humorous announcements.

"Attention please! What's flying above is not a bird — it's the park's law enforcement drone," one announcement declares. "Don't take chances with violations. Our aerial view is crystal clear. Please do not block walkways for business activities, and keep the park clean by disposing of litter properly."

Drone view of Gui'an Cherry Blossom Park captures a tranquil corner in full bloom. [Photo/WeChat account of Guiyang State-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Committee]

As the only State-owned operator in Guiyang City and Gui'an New Area responsible for developing the entire low-altitude economy industrial chain, Guiyang Low-Altitude Industry Development Co is exploring a key question: can the low-altitude economy enhance urban governance?

The company has deployed an integrated low-altitude intelligent patrol system that enables drones to conduct 24-hour autonomous patrols without the need for manual piloting.

Equipped with high-definition cameras, the drones transmit real-time footage to the command and dispatch center, enabling technicians to quickly pinpoint locations and activate a remote broadcasting system to guide visitors whenever crowds gather, uncivilized behavior occurs, or congestion begins to form.

At the company's flight service station, technicians monitor screens displaying real-time heat maps of pedestrian and vehicle flows along Gui'an Avenue. "Previously, a single patrol could take two hours," one technician said. "Now the equipment is always ready, and there's no need for rotating manpower."

A technician inspects the back-end of drones. [Photo/WeChat account of Guiyang State-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Committee]

Police officers on duty say the drone system significantly reduces the manpower required for on-site crowd management, allowing them to focus more on emergency response.

During one patrol, officers spotted a young woman preparing to climb over a fence to photograph the cherry blossoms. After identifying the situation through the drone feed, technicians issued a timely warning via loudspeaker. The woman laughed, stepped back, and even flashed a peace sign at the drone hovering above.

Technology is quietly reshaping how the city is managed. Next, Guiyang will launch a comprehensive pilot program for an integrated low-altitude flight network, further applying low-altitude economic technologies to urban operations and accelerating the development of new application scenarios for the local low-altitude economy.