Beijing: Over 400 archival items illuminating China’s journey to become a global force in airborne remote sensing are going on public display in Beijing, showcasing four decades of innovation spearheaded by the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS). The month-long exhibition, organized by the CAS Aerospace Information Research Institute, opened on Tuesday at the CAS Beijing new technology base.
According to Namibia Press Agency, airborne remote sensing offers crucial advantages — high resolution, flexible deployment, and rapid response — making it indispensable for earth observation and vital for disaster mitigation platforms. The CAS established the Airborne Remote Sensing Center in 1985 during a crucial period for the nation’s remote sensing research and application development.
The exhibition chronicles China’s trajectory from early exploration to achieving significant technological breakthroughs in airborne observation systems. Highlights include early documents displayed for the first time, tracing the approval, modification, delivery, and maiden flight of China’s first-generation airborne remote sensing system, according to the center.
Additionally, through various project implementation documents such as task assignment letters, feasibility reports, and acceptance reports, the archives systematically present the process of independent innovation for the new generation of airborne remote sensing system projects, which utilized the Xinzhou-60 aerial remote sensing and scientific experiment aircraft platform.
Pan Jie, director of the CAS Airborne Remote Sensing Center, emphasized the center’s vital operational role, as showcased in the exhibition. “The rich archival images and text vividly illustrate the center’s deep involvement in providing remote sensing support for monitoring major floods in the Yangtze and Huaihe River basins, and for emergency assessments after the Wenchuan, Yushu, and Ya’an earthquakes,” Pan noted.
The 2008 Wenchuan earthquake response was particularly prominent. “Following the Wenchuan quake, our two aircraft flew to the disaster zone,” Pan recounted. “Over the next 20-plus days, they logged 227 flight hours, surpassing 10 hours daily, setting a record for sustained remote sensing operations. They acquired over 20 terabytes of crucial imagery data, underpinning rescue coordination.”
The display also documents significant achievements in environmental monitoring and resource exploration, including gold, polymetallic ore, and oil and gas surveys. “Through 40 years, the center has progressed from zero to owning four specialized aircraft, achieving the leap from reliance on imports to self-developed large airborne remote sensing systems,” Pan said.
The center now operates a national-level aerial laboratory capable of carrying and coordinating multiple sensor payloads simultaneously, she added. Zhang Bing, vice president of the CAS Aerospace Information Research Institute, expressed the hope that the event would “allow more people to touch the spirit of China’s aerospace information endeavor and draw innovative strength from reflecting on history.”