China is stepping up its agri-tech push, deploying drones and robotic dogs to unlock more than 40 million hectares of hilly terrain long considered difficult to farm. The effort is reshaping how crops are grown, with implications for food security, labour efficiency and global competition in smart agriculture.

At leading firm XAG’s Guangdong headquarters, next-generation drones are being refined to deliver greater stability, sharper vision and improved autonomy. Upgraded imaging systems can now detect objects smaller than one centimetre, enabling highly precise operations across complex landscapes.

In a lychee orchard in Guangzhou’s Zengcheng district, terrain-following drones are already navigating uneven ground and varying tree heights, spraying fertiliser with accuracy while reducing labour demands.

On the ground, compact robotic dogs equipped with sensors for soil testing, pest detection and crop monitoring are entering dense orchards, conducting daily patrols and generating real-time reports. Under the 15th Five-Year Plan, such innovations are set to drive agricultural mechanisation beyond 80 percent.