On 4 February 2026, a delegation from the Campus Facilities and Sustainability Office (CFSO) of The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU), including Mr. Wong and Mr. Cheung, accompanied by Dr. Wang from the PolyU Wenzhou Research Institute, visited the PolyU Wuxi Technology and Innovation Research Institute and the Shanghai Sanlin Low-altitude Economy Industrial Park for technical exchange and guidance.
Advanced sensing and inspection technology in Wuxi
At the Wuxi Technology and Innovation Research Institute, the team of the Trustworthy AI and Autonomous Systems Laboratory (TASLAB) introduced the centre’s latest developments and core research areas to the delegation. The visit included a demonstration of the team’s handheld data collection and mapping devices, as well as indoor positioning devices, showing how rapid environmental digitisation supports smart facility management.
The delegation then proceeded to the indoor flight testing field to watch a live demonstration of the team’s autonomous inspection drones. Equipped with advanced sensors and navigation systems, these drones can:
- Fly autonomously in complex environments (such as tunnels or indoor structures).
- Perceive their surroundings and avoid obstacles in real time.
- Use AI algorithms to automatically analyse data and identify potential structural defects.
Device demonstration and autonomous inspection drone flight at the PolyU Wuxi Technology and Innovation Research Institute.
Building maintenance demonstration in Shanghai
After the visit to Wuxi, the delegation travelled to the Shanghai Sanlin Low-altitude Economy Industrial Park, where they observed a field demonstration of the team’s Smart Building Cleaning Drone.
Group photo with the Smart Building Cleaning Drone at the Shanghai Sanlin Low-altitude Economy Industrial Park.
The demonstration highlighted the drone’s stability and efficiency in high-rise façade maintenance, offering a safer and more automated alternative to traditional cleaning methods. The CFSO delegation expressed strong interest in how these low-altitude economy solutions could be applied to smart campus management and sustainability efforts in the future.
Reference Press Release: https://mp.weixin.qq.com/s/HvCxbZXmLE4ve5UVuRo08g