Tangshan's natural resource low-altitude monitoring system has been officially selected as one of 30 national-level low-altitude economy innovation application models recognized by the National Development and Reform Commission. This achievement positions the system as a benchmark demonstration case for low-altitude applications in the natural resources sector nationwide, representing the only selected application scenario from Hebei Province.
Faced with challenges in monitoring illegal mining activities due to Tangshan's rich mineral resources, the city's Natural Resources and Planning Bureau developed a modern monitoring system centered on low-altitude intelligent technology. The system addresses traditional limitations of manual inspections through comprehensive coverage, intelligent efficiency, and sustainable operation, significantly enhancing mineral resource protection and regulatory effectiveness through technological and institutional innovation.
The Tangshan Natural Resource Low-Altitude Comprehensive Monitoring Platform commenced construction in July 2024, featuring scientific deployment of 127 drones across the region. This intelligent platform integrates drone flight control management, AI recognition, 3D modeling, and big data analysis. For underground mine monitoring blind spots, innovative equipment including robotic dogs and underground drones achieves three key objectives: precise mineral volume calculation, accurate dynamic monitoring of mining activities, and surveillance of high-risk areas and "blind zones." All 24 non-coal underground mines that resumed operations in Tangshan have completed data collection and 3D modeling, with accumulated tunnel modeling reaching 289 kilometers, fully addressing regulatory bottlenecks in underground mining.
The technological achievements have been extended beyond Tangshan, completing data collection for mining sites including the Lingbao-Tongguan gold mine at the Henan-Shaanxi border, Shandong Hengbang's Lazigou gold mine and Moujin Chahe mine, and Hunan's Shizhuyuan Dongbo mining area.
This intelligent monitoring system enables comprehensive oversight of mineral resources, conducting regular inspections of 286 licensed mines across 8 mining counties, 96 ecological restoration projects, and 192 areas prone to illegal mining. By 2025, newly investigated illegal mining cases in the city decreased by 89% year-on-year. Meanwhile, low-altitude monitoring applications continue to expand into additional natural resource domains including farmland protection, geological disaster prevention, and forest fire control.
The system has completed 3D modeling for 388 geological hazard risk points, with monitoring data being shared to support rural living environment improvement, funeral facility management, port and wharf administration, religious venue management, construction waste control, and environmental protection inspections. The market value of related surveying and mapping achievements has reached 30 million yuan.
Tangshan's natural resource low-altitude monitoring system deepens the integration of industry, academia, research, and application through collaboration with universities and technology companies, promoting upgrades in the low-altitude economic industry chain. The city has also established cross-departmental law enforcement coordination mechanisms and implemented specialized regulations, with disciplinary inspection commissions stationed within the monitoring platform to enforce comprehensive case investigations. These efforts consolidate regulatory effectiveness, creating replicable and promotable intelligent natural resource monitoring "Hebei experience" that contributes the "Tangshan model" to refined natural resource management nationwide.
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