Drones Lift Flood Victims From Rooftop As 400 Pilots Join China Rescue

More than 400 drone pilots from across China joined flood rescue work in Hengzhou, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, where cargo drones were used to deliver supplies and lift trapped residents from danger, according to Jimu News.

The rescue effort followed severe rain and flooding linked to Typhoon Maysak. At its peak, more than 300 drones were operating in the area, said Liang Weilei, a local DJI Agriculture dealer in Hengzhou.

Liang said the call for help began on the morning of July 6, after Liulan Reservoir in Hengzhou faced overtopping and breach risks. He posted an urgent message in a local customer group, asking drone operators capable of high-altitude lifting and supply delivery to support emergency work.

The message quickly spread among drone pilots. Operators arrived from Heilongjiang, Shanxi, Yunnan, Guizhou, Sichuan, Hunan, Zhejiang and other places, Liang said. Many brought their own drones, while some teams arrived with several aircraft and other professional equipment.

Most of the drones used in the rescue were DJI agricultural spraying drones and cargo drones. Agricultural models accounted for about 70 to 80 percent of the fleet, and about half of the pilots came from outside Hengzhou, according to Liang's estimate.

The drones were mainly used to carry supplies over long distances. In urgent cases, they were also used to lift people out of flooded areas. Liang said such personnel-lifting missions had been carried out two or three times.

The aircraft used for those missions included DJI's FC100 cargo drone and FC200 industrial cargo drone. The FC100 can carry up to 80 kilograms in single-battery mode and 65 kilograms in dual-battery mode, while the FC200 can carry up to 200 kilograms.

On July 6, two people were trapped on the roof of a tanker truck in Yunbiao Town as floodwaters rose around them. Liang said the situation was critical and that a delay of only a few more minutes could have left them swept away.

With approval from the on-site commander, drone pilots lifted the trapped residents to safety, he said.

Under current regulations, agricultural drones and ordinary cargo drones are not allowed to carry people. Liang said the operation was an emergency exception and required approval from the rescue commander.

Because disaster-zone signals were weak, long-distance lifting carried a risk of losing contact with the drone. Personnel rescue flights were generally conducted within a few hundred meters and within visual range, Liang said.

In a typical operation, a firefighter was first lifted to the trapped person to secure the rope system. The firefighter and the stranded resident were then lifted to a safe area.

To support the rescue work, DJI Agriculture's Hengzhou store began operating around the clock on July 9. The shop offered free emergency inspection and repair services for DJI T-series and FC-series drones damaged or worn during flood relief work.