Shattering the "Information Island": Dagong Technology's Tethered UAV Restored Critical Communications for Tens of Thousands During 2021 Henan Rainstorm
Zhengzhou, China — In July 2021, when historic deluges severed roads, paralyzed power grids, and severed fiber-optic cables across Henan Province, Beijing Dagong Technology Co., Ltd. executed a landmark rescue operation that redefined emergency disaster response. Deploying its tethered UAV high-altitude base station system to shatter desperate "information islands"—most notably in Gongyi's Mihe Town and the isolated Zhengzhou Fuwai Cardiovascular Hospital—Dagong Technology’s aerial platform restored vital 4G communications for the safe evacuation of tens of thousands, unequivocally proving that the tethered drone has become the ultimate "lifesaving infrastructure" in extreme catastrophe scenarios.
As floodwaters raged and traditional communication vehicles remained trapped by destroyed infrastructure, Dagong Technology’s tethered UAVs quietly ascended into the breach. Unlike conventional battery-dependent drones severely limited by 30-minute flight times, these platforms were anchored to the earth by a specialized photoelectric composite tether cable. This "umbilical cord linking sky and earth" delivered continuous ground power, enabling 24-hour uninterrupted hovering and transforming the drone into a multi-dimensional rescue hub.
During the peak of the crisis, the tethered UAV system fulfilled three critical, life-saving roles that fundamentally shifted the emergency response dynamic:
1. The Beacon in the Dark: During the critical night operation to seal the breached Wei River in Xinxiang, ground lighting proved vastly insufficient. Dagong Technology’s tethered UAV, equipped with high-intensity spotlights, rose to provide a staggering 2,000 to 3,000 square meters of stable illumination. Suspended like a "small sun," it enabled continuous, uninterrupted flood-sealing operations throughout the night—a feat impossible for battery-constrained drones.
2. The Omniscient Eye over the Breach: Hovering above the most dangerous breach points, the drone’s HD visible-light and thermal imaging payloads streamed real-time intelligence back to the command center. Commanders could assess sandbag deployment and water flow changes without risking personnel at the crumbling edge, enabling scientific decision-making and precise dispatch.
3. The Lifeline Communication Base Station: In the most crucial deployment, Dagong Technology partnered with China Mobile and China Telecom to launch tethered UAV airborne base stations over Mihe Town and the besieged hospital. Connected via KA satellite portable stations, the drones established an emergency communication network covering 100 square kilometers. For the isolated hospital, this restored signal meant that life-saving evacuation orders for over 10,000 people could finally be coordinated, securing the critical "Golden Hour" for rescue.
The triumph in the Henan rainstorm disaster was not an isolated miracle, but the culmination of a decade of relentless technological iteration. Since 2015, Dagong Technology has systematically dismantled the bottlenecks of traditional UAVs. By transmitting power from the ground and routing data through fiber optics within the tether, the system achieves infinite endurance alongside absolute signal stability—immunity to electromagnetic interference and zero latency, making it ideal for broadcast-level HD video and critical communications.
Engineered to military-grade reliability standards, the platform demonstrated phenomenal environmental resilience, operating flawlessly in the 80-90% humidity of the flood zone. At a 300-meter altitude, it boasts a 35kg payload capacity, effortlessly carrying base stations, searchlights, electro-optical pods, and LiDAR to achieve "one machine, multiple capabilities."
This proven combat readiness has propelled Dagong Technology from an emergency pioneer to an "Air-Space-Ground Integrated Solution Provider." The same tethered UAV technology that saved thousands in Henan has served as CCTV's exclusive "aerial cameraman" for a decade, delivering 12G bandwidth real-time 4K broadcasts for the 70th National Day and CPC Centenary celebrations.
Today, the technological ceiling continues to rise. Following the release of its epoch-making 400-meter altitude tethered UAV system in 2024, and honored by its induction into the National Museum of China's "Network Development New Blueprint Achievement Exhibition" in 2025, Dagong Technology stands at the vanguard of the low-altitude economy. Freshly empowered by tens of millions in Series B funding from Ivy Capital, the company is transforming its platforms from mere flying cameras into high-altitude computing nodes and smart sensing terminals.
As founder Shen Shizhou asserts: "We must not only let the world see China through our lenses, but let Chinese standards lead global industry development." When disaster strikes, Dagong Technology’s tethered UAVs remain suspended where they are needed most, the tether connecting earth and sky, guarding life and hope.