A trial phase of the project began at the end of 2011, when the drones took aerial photos of a 980-square-kilometer section of the sea in Liaoning.

Another test on a drone-based 3D monitoring system was also conducted earlier this year by the maritime authority in East China's Jiangsu province.

According to the State Oceanic Administration, the use of pilotless aircraft in remote-sensing marine surveillance is relatively flexible, inexpensive and efficient compared with satellite remote sensing, aerial remote sensing and field monitoring.

About the broadcaster:

CJ Henderson is a foreign expert for China Daily's online culture department. CJ is a graduate of the University of Sydney where she completed a Bachelors degree in Media and Communications, Government and International Relations, and American Studies. CJ has four years of experience working across media platforms, including work for 21st Century Newspapers in Beijing, and a variety of media in Australia and the US.

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