Can you imagine the day that unmanned patrol cars and robot dogs are part of a team that keeps your city safe? In the Zhengzhou Airport Economy Zone, Henan province, such an innovative team is already on duty, forging a new model of smart urban security.
The unmanned patrol cars handle the main roads in the city, scanning for issues in open areas, while robot dogs tackle the challenging areas that a car cannot go, such as steep slopes and narrow alleys. Together, they are changing how cities handle inspections.
"Traditional inspection vehicles are limited to standard roads. They are not really designed to handle steps, slopes or tight spaces," said Li Zhiqiang, general manager of Jinghai Shengda Technology Cable Co. "However, robot dogs fill that gap. They can go where vehicles can't."
Li said: "The two work as a team. One covers the easy routes, while the other is used for complex spots, and they share data in real time, making sure no corner of the city goes unnoticed."
In addition, Jinghai Shengda has outlined a clear roadmap: 100 "air-ground integrated" unmanned patrol vehicles are set to roll out across the built-up areas of the airport zone by the end of 2026. These vehicles will use a grid system to cover shopping districts and residential communities.
The Artificial Intelligence (Robotics) Industrial Park began operations in January 2025 and is managed by Henan Airport Digital City Development and Construction Co. Currently, the park has attracted over 100 upstream and downstream AI enterprises, becoming the central engine for building the "capital of computing power" in Central China.
In terms of computing power infrastructure, the company includes three intelligent computing centers, with a planned total computing power exceeding 100,000 petaflops. Currently, computing nodes with a capacity of 10,000 petaflops have been successfully launched and are operational, said Zhang Yang, deputy general manager of the company.
Behind the machines, there is also a group of people working to make them smarter. "We're teaching AI to understand the world, just like a human brain learns," Zhang said.
The Zhengzhou Airport Economy Zone has also launched an AI Plus intelligent talent public training base, offering training in AI, big data and cloud computing, a one-stop shop from learning to certification to landing a job.
"As a national-level pilot zone for the airport economy, the Zhengzhou Airport Economy Zone is an area focused on leveraging its strategic location and infrastructure to drive economic growth and development," said Sun Xike, an official of the Zhengzhou Airport Economy Zone.
In terms of the overall talent development model, the base follows a closed-loop approach: first defining the positions, then designing the curriculum, and finally recruiting trainees, said Han Jinhui, head of the AI Plus intelligent talent public training base.
Dedicated team members engage with various enterprises in the port area, spanning sectors such as manufacturing, new energy and intelligent equipment. They focus on understanding the job standards, employment needs and technical specifications of leading companies and their upstream and downstream ecosystem partners, including BYD, Raycus and businesses involved in unmanned inspection vehicles and intelligent robotics, Han added.