China produces world's first ultra-compact portable surveying drone

(ECNS) -- China’s Tianfu Jiangxi Laboratory announced on Tuesday the launch of the world's first ultra-compact portable surveying drone, “Weidu I”, which was developed by its Spatiotemporal AI Perception Technology Innovation Center.

A patented spherical anti-collision design of the drone enables it to operate flexibly in complex, hazardous, or hard-to-reach environments.

By integrating automated 3D reconstruction technology, the drone achieves real-time 3D modeling during flight, overcoming key technical challenges while reducing surveying costs by nearly 50 percent compared to traditional methods.

Zhang Dedong, deputy director of the center, stated that the drone integrates multiple core technologies such as multi-sensor fusion and automated path planning, which address positioning challenges in complex environments and enable low-speed autonomous cruising and waypoint planning in extreme conditions.

The drone outperforms traditional methods that struggle with confined spaces such as underground culverts and pipeline networks，completing data collection, digital reconstruction, and precise 3D modeling within minutes, providing surveyors with clear and accurate measurement results.