Wang Jingli

wangjingli0715@163.com

DRONES in Shenzhen are delivering more than food and drinks — they are playing a crucial role in saving lives by delivering automated external defibrillators (AEDs) to designated locations within several parks.

According to the city’s urban management authority, this recently launched initiative aims to leverage digital technologies to enhance Shenzhen’s emergency response system. The first model of its kind in China, it is helping establish a “five-minute rescue circle” in the city.

Currently, drone-delivered AEDs are available in Tanglang Mountain Country Park, Fenghuang Mountain Forest Park, Shiyan Wetland Park, Luotian Forest Park, and Fuhai River Park.

Each park plans to establish 30 landing sites for AEDs. In the event of an emergency, individuals can scan a QR code at these sites and have an AED delivered within five minutes.

Given the dense vegetation and high visitor traffic in parks, landing drones can be risky. To address this, the AEDs, housed in a box, are either lowered to the ground via a long cable or dropped to the ground, according to the service operator.

Simulations indicate that one drone can cover a radius of up to four kilometers within five minutes — an approximately 50 sqkm area that would require 150 fixed AEDs to achieve the same coverage. These drones will increase accessibility to emergency medical resources and improve emergency response efficiency.

At Tanglang Mountain Country Park, drones will depart from the park’s management center and fly to designated AED sites upon receiving an order. A visitor surnamed Xie, who was at the park Wednesday, praised the initiative, noting its potential to assist in emergency situations and improve rescue efforts.

In addition to AEDs, first aid boxes delivered by the drones contain bandages for immediate trauma care. Future plans include integrating the AED delivery system with the city’s 120 emergency response system.

Officials from the city’s urban management authority highlighted that this project represents a significant breakthrough in urban emergency rescue. They added that as the project continues to advance, it will further enhance the city’s emergency response capabilities and effectively safeguard the lives and health of Shenzhen residents.

In 2023, Shenzhen provided emergency training to 8,000 frontline workers within the urban management system, including security personnel, sanitation workers, and landscaping staff.

Shenzhen has been deploying AEDs on a large scale since 2017. To date, there are more than 43,000 AEDs in public areas, placing Shenzhen among the top cities in the country for AED coverage.