China’s first emergency rescue team that will use unmanned aerial vehicles was established in Beijing on Tuesday， Beijing Daily reported.

At the training base of the Ministry of Civil Affairs located in Changping district, six UAVs are now ready for rescue missions. They have two types of wings — fixed wings and rotary wings. Both types can take off in simple and crude situations.

The largest aircraft is powered by gasoline, with a wingspan of 2.96 meters. Its maximum speed is 150 km per hour and the largest flying radius is 200 kilometers.

The aircraft has a payload of 5 kilograms. It can air drop water, food, and other supplies to the trapped people. “But it requires the trapped to send their location through a mobile phone,” said a worker of the team. “After we receive the information, we will be able to input the information into the control platform, which then transmits it to the aircraft, allowing it possible to drop the relief material accurately.”

Other types of aircraft are battery powered, and their range is between 10 and 50 kilometers, which limits their rescue range abilities.

The UAV team has participated in rescue missions during the Lushan Earthquake as well as the Tianjin Blasts, playing an active role in guiding rescuers and analyzing different kinds of situations found at disaster sites.

Han Guangjian, an official with the rescue center, regards that UAVs will play an increasingly important role in future rescue tasks. In addition to the newly established team in Beijing, more UAV rescue teams will soon be found in other cities.