Robotics competition drives emergency response innovation in S China's Guangzhou

A robotic dog undergoes a high-temperature test inside a container where temperatures can reach around 140 degrees Celsius at the final of the 2026 National Safety Emergency Rescue Robot Competition held in Guangzhou, south China's Guangdong Province. (People's Daily Online/Yang Jiannan)

Quadruped robots carrying heavy loads across muddy, debris-strewn courses, reconnaissance robotic dogs locating trapped people through thick smoke, and demolition robots navigating narrow pipes to clear routes for rescuers...

These were scenes from the final of the 2026 National Safety Emergency Rescue Robot Competition held in Guangzhou, south China's Guangdong Province, on October 23.

The event brought together 29 teams, which competed in two categories: high-rise building fire rescue and natural disaster emergency response.

Members of a team work together to replace a robot's cutting tool so it can break through a concrete slab at the final of the 2026 National Safety Emergency Rescue Robot Competition, held in Guangzhou, south China's Guangdong Province. (People's Daily Online/Yang Jiannan)

In simulated extreme environments, the robots went in first. Human team members stayed back at a safe distance, directing operations and providing support.

This model of human-robot collaboration is being tested as a potential way to bring intelligent rescue technologies from competition arenas into real-world emergencies.

The competition reflects both the expanding robotics industry and the practical needs of urban emergency response.

A drone simulates firefighting operations at a high-rise building during the final of the 2026 National Safety Emergency Rescue Robot Competition, held in Guangzhou, south China's Guangdong Province. (People's Daily Online/Yang Jiannan)

On October 24, the Guangzhou Digital Intelligence Emergency Group was unveiled alongside the release of the competition's results.

The group aims to link competition testing to pilot-scale development and industrial growth, helping turn technological advances into practical emergency response solutions and supporting Guangzhou's endeavor to build a model for urban resilience.

A contestant watches a robotic dog navigate a muddy course at the final of the 2026 National Safety Emergency Rescue Robot Competition, held in Guangzhou, south China's Guangdong Province. (People's Daily Online/Yang Jiannan)

A robot competes in a load-carrying challenge involving climbing up and down stairs at the final of the 2026 National Safety Emergency Rescue Robot Competition, held in Guangzhou, south China's Guangdong Province. (People's Daily Online/Yang Jiannan)

A contestant adjusts a drone at the competition venue during the final of the 2026 National Safety Emergency Rescue Robot Competition, held in Guangzhou, south China's Guangdong Province. (People's Daily Online/Yang Jiannan)

A judge observes a robot's performance inside a smoke-filled room during the final of the 2026 National Safety Emergency Rescue Robot Competition, held in Guangzhou, south China's Guangdong Province. (People's Daily Online/Yang Jiannan)

A robotic dog enters a simulated home environment to detect signs of life during the final of the 2026 National Safety Emergency Rescue Robot Competition, held in Guangzhou, south China's Guangdong Province. (People's Daily Online/Yang Jiannan)