The new 5G unmanned vessel, called a "sweeper", works on Xin'an Lake to carry out its smart river patrol task. [Photo/zj.zjol.com.cn]

On the surface of Xin'an Lake in Kecheng district, Quzhou in East China's Zhejiang province, a new vessel recently debuted, according to local media reports Sept 8. The vessel’s bow slowly opened to create a V-shaped "big mouth" to "eat" garbage floating on the lake. 

The new 5G technology device, called a "sweeper", is an artificial intelligence (AI) unmanned vessel.

The ship is 5 meters long, 2 meters wide and 1.8 meters high. It has five cameras at the front and back of its hull. Through functions such as voice wake-up and accurate satellite positioning, it can realize 24-hour unmanned intervention cruising and cleaning.

Xin'an Lake, the upper source of the Qujiang River, is an urban river and lake water conservancy scenic area. The lake has a surface area of about 666 hectares and a storage capacity of more than 20 million cubic meters. Its location and status as a tourist attraction call for frequent garbage cleaning work.

"The installation of the unmanned vessel is a new attempt by Quzhou to patrol and protect water in the intelligent river," said Tao Hongping, assistant director of Quzhou Water Control Office. Tao said that if the pilot works well, the office will promote the "smart river patrol" mode in other waters in the city.