On the morning of November 1, Xu Yinhui, a 2025 doctoral student from the School of Automation, SEU, set off from the Domestic Base for China’s
Polar Expedition located in Shanghai to Antarctica to join China’s 42nd Antarctic Scientific Expedition. Chinese Academy of Engineering Academician
and SEU President Sun Youhong, and SEU Vice President Sun Litao, along with representatives from the School of Automation, Zhongda Hospital
Affiliated to Southeast University, and the Scientific Research Institute, were present to see him off.
At the ceremony, President Sun Youhong presented the flag to Xu and offered his words of encouragement, “Yinhui, I am here on behalf of SEU to
see you off. This expedition bears significant responsibilities. We hope you will fulfill the scientific mission with the dedication and commitment that
define an SEUer, and above all, stay safe. We look forward to your safe return.”
Xu joined the SEU Antarctic Scientific Expedition Program in 2022, focusing on “Unmanned Polar Observation and Monitoring Systems”. Following in the footsteps of his predecessors, doctoral student Wang Qihang and young scholar Shan Shuo, Xu will continue SEU’s 16-year legacy of polar expeditions.
“My missions include 3D spatial surveying in polar regions, trial flights of unmanned aerial vehicles, and innovative experiments in wind-solar-energy
storage systems,” Xu shared. “I feel both excited and deeply responsible.” During China’s 41st Antarctic expedition, the unmanned observation system
he developed underwent successful trial operation, collecting critical image data to support spatial perception research for polar unmanned systems.
As the youngest member of the expedition team, Xu made thorough preparations for extreme environments, including specialized high-altitude training
in Tibet to strengthen his physical and mental resilience. “Taking over the Antarctic mission from our predecessors, we should inherit not only their
technical expertise but also the Antarctic Spirit—patriotism, dedication, innovation, and perseverance,” Xu expressed. He pledged to contribute
steadfastly on the front lines of Antarctic research, infusing China’s polar scientific endeavors with SEU’s distinctive dedication.
According to the mission plan, this expedition will focus on three-dimensional polar environment perception and scientific progress tracking, further
advancing the application of unmanned observation and monitoring technologies. To achieve these objectives, the team will extensively implement
multi-modal sensor fusion technology. By integrating data from visual, radar, and inertial sensors, they aim to enhance monitoring efficiency and data
accuracy under extreme climatic conditions. The mission will also promote collaboration between drones and ground robots to achieve all-weather,
comprehensive environmental monitoring. On this basis, researchers will explore cutting-edge studies on miniaturized unmanned polar monitoring
equipment and self-sustaining new energy systems. They will develop compact unmanned monitoring systems adapted to polar environments while
leveraging renewable energy technologies like solar and wind power to ensure long-term stable operation of unmanned equipment in extreme
conditions.
Since 2010, SEU’s polar researchefforts have never ceased.From the early deployment of critical support platforms in the extreme cold of Dome A, to
repeatedly breaking records for the continuous operation of unmanned systems at Taishan Station, to ensuring stable operation of Kunlun Station’s
systems, and developing digital twin and intelligent maintenance platforms. To date, eleven researchers have successively undertaken missions in
Antarctica to tackle technical challenges in extreme environments and progressively advance polar research into a new phase characterized by
green energy, intelligent equipment, and unmanned systems.
Source: Nanjing News, SEU News Network, SEU Official WeChat Account
Translated by: Melody Zhang
Reviewed by: Gao Min, Liutych Hanna
Edited by: Li Xinchang
