When industries such as manufacturing, logistics, and ports move into "aerial operation scenarios," the use of aerial intelligent operation equipment becomes necessary. The equipment is flexible in spatial operations and is precise in automated control, thus, it is the most appropriate tool for breaking through the ground limitations and for optimizing full-process operations. To sum up, aerial robotic arms, aerial intelligent conveyors, and IoT-enabled aerial operation equipment are changing the world from the perspectives of aerial precise execution, material transfer, and intelligent management and control, respectively:
1. Aerial Robotic Arms: The "Core of Precise Execution" at Height
The designs of aerial robotic arms include suspended, rail-mounted, or drone-carried ones and thus, the devices are not limited by the range of ground-based robotic arms. They make it possible to have automated operations in high-altitude scenarios of manufacturing and logistics, safety hazards are lessened, precision and efficiency are heightened.
In Manufacturing: They are employed on a large scale for the high-altitude assembling of heavy equipment and industrial plant maintenance.
In the case of wind power workshops, rail-suspended aerial robotic arms are able to hold 500kg windmill blade components and carry out precision assembly at the height of 10-20 meters, with the error being only ±0.5mm (as opposed to ±5mm for manual operations), thus, mistakes caused by human physical exhaustion and the limited field of vision are completely eliminated.
In automotive welding workshops, robotic arms hanging from the ceiling are capable of 360-degree operation, thus, welding efficiency achieved is more than 3 times that of manual work. They can also be in operation for 24 hours non-stop, thereby, the problem of fatigue and safety risk in manual high-altitude welding is resolved completely.
In Logistics: They are the core for high-altitude picking in automated warehouses.
In warehouses with tall shelves (more than 15 meters), robotic arms bring together visual recognition and laser positioning, thereby they achieve a picking efficiency of 800 items per hour (wherein manual work it is only 150 items per hour). Not only does this prevent the risk of falls and things dropping, but also the picking error rate is reduced from 2.5% to less than 0.1%.
2. Aerial Intelligent Conveyors: The "Efficient Transportation Link" at Height
Based on suspended rails and cableways, aerial intelligent conveyors are equipped with intelligent path planning, dynamic speed adjustment, and real-time monitoring. They make it possible to carry out fully automated high-altitude material transfer in the areas of manufacturing and ports, thus, labor consumption and the risk of misdelivery are lowered, space utilization is enhanced.
In Manufacturing: They link production stages to form an "aerial material closed loop."
At heavy machinery factories, conveyors are capable of carrying 2–5 tons of parts and are able to do so automatically as they take the parts from the raw material area on the first floor to the assembly area on the third floor. Their efficiency is more than 4 times that of manual elevator transfer, and there is no manual loading/unloading, therefore, parts are not damaged by collisions.
In electronic component workshops, lightweight cableway conveyors transport precision components in dust-free environments, thus, the problem of component damage caused by dust brought by manual handling is solved and the transfer error rate has decreased from 3% to 0.08%.
At ports, pilots have taken the use of suspended conveyors to the next level by using them to link up the high-altitude areas between quay cranes and storage yards. These conveyors have the capacity to transfer 30 containers per hour, thereby ground trucks are replaced. This neither allows for congestion delays and driving errors to occur, nor does it create new collision risks.
3. IoT-Enabled Aerial Operation Equipment: The "Intelligent Management and Control Hub" at Height
This kind of equipment, which is implanted with sensors, 5G modules, and edge computing units, gives the possibilities of perception in real time, data interconnection, and the remote control of high-altitude operations. It overcomes "information gaps," hence, there are fewer omissions in manual monitoring and fewer decision-making errors.
In Manufacturing: It is the high-altitude equipment full-lifecycle management and control tool.
For instance, they can collect operational parameters real-time and upload them on the cloud. Managers may also remotely adjust various parameters in abnormal situations, thereby, the spraying qualification rate can be increased from 95% to 99.5%. On top of that, the machines have the ability to forecast component wear and thus facilitate preventive maintenance which lessens the manual inspection of high-altitude work.
In Logistics and Ports: It makes visualization possible for the entire link.
Automated logistics warehouses utilize aerial inspection drones to inspect the status of shelves and robotic arms, at the same time, they issue alerts automatically if there is a problem. Hence, the inspection time is shortened from 2 hours to 20 minutes.
Aerial monitoring conveyors at ports provide transportation information instantly resulting in managers planning the best routes and consequently, enabling them to improve efficiency by 35%. Moreover, they are compatible with data traceability thus, solving the problem of omissions in manual records.
FAQ – Frequently Asked Questions
1.When and where will the Expo be held?
The Expo will be held at XICEC Hall C, Xiamen International Conference and Exhibition Center (XICEC), Xiamen, China, from May 13–15, 2026.
2. What is the exhibition scale?
The event takes up 40,000 m² and features 350+ companies. It is expected to attract more than 30,000 professional visitors from all over the world.
3. What activities are included?
More than 80 professional forums and events will be held to discuss subjects such as smart mobility, transportation communication, safety, and sustainable development.
4. How many countries and regions are involved?
Participants from more than 80 countries and regions will attend, hence, it is a global gathering for intelligent transportation innovation.
5. Are there opportunities for cooperation?
Yes. With more than 1,000 global partners, the Expo is full of opportunities for business collaboration, technology exchange, and investment.
6. Who can I contact for details?
For more information, you can contact the Organizing Committee via the official website's Contact Us section.
