Chinese authorities have successfully used drones and robots to detect and dispose radioactive materials during a counterterrorism exercise aimed at improving the efficiency of the country’s emergency response to terrorist attacks.

The maneuver, which took place in Yantai, Shandong province, on July 26, was a national campaign against possible nuclear or radioactive terrorist attacks on ports. For the first time, drones were used to monitor the radiation levels of imported containers, while explosive ordnance disposal robots were dispatched to investigate and dispose radioactive materials, Chinanews.com reported.

According to the report, the use of drones can improve the efficiency of an investigation, as well as protect human workers from possible dangers, while robots can safely provide accurate data via remote control.

Dai Yu, director of the antiterrorism division of China’s General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection, and Quarantine, said the exercise used advanced technology to tackle possible security threats, as antiterrorism efforts has become a crucial part of China’s national security.