Wuxi, Jiangsu: Drones Guard Dazzling Nightscapes, Technology Supports the Nighttime Economy

During the 2026 National Day holiday, Wuxi, Jiangsu, saw a dense schedule of nighttime cultural and tourism activities, and spending on nighttime tours, shopping and entertainment continued to heat up. The Yuantouzhu Water and Music Fireworks Show on Taihu Lake was staged four times across the Mid-Autumn Festival and National Day holidays; Huishan Ancient Town launched traditional culture-themed night tours; and the lights of traditional pleasure boats on nighttime cruises along the Qingming Bridge section of the canal stayed on late into the night, attracting large numbers of residents and tourists.

Lakeside lighting, musical fountains and fireworks control equipment operated at the same time, creating concentrated electrical loads with large instantaneous fluctuations. Power supply crews from State Grid Wuxi Power Supply Company used infrared thermometers to check the temperatures of switches, connectors and cable terminals inside distribution boxes one by one and investigate abnormalities. Within 5 kilometers of the scenic area, drones autonomously patrolled along the surrounding power poles and towers, and inspection footage was transmitted in real time to an intelligent analysis platform, which used artificial intelligence to automatically identify hidden hazards.

A member of the on-site power supply team said, “The thing we worry about most at the water and music fireworks show is instantaneous load fluctuation. Lighting, sound and fireworks control—if any link fails, it won’t work. During the event, we measure temperatures once every half an hour, keeping a close eye on voltage and current fluctuations.”

From Yuantouzhu to Plum Garden, and from Huishan Ancient Town to Qingming Bridge, major scenic spots in Wuxi were brightly lit, with brisk spending on nighttime tours, shopping and entertainment. According to statistics, during the Mid-Autumn Festival and National Day holidays, electricity consumption at key scenic spots across the city increased by 31% compared with ordinary days, and the load during peak nighttime demand periods increased by 37% compared with ordinary days.