Chinese Scientists Test Unmanned Glacier Penetrating Radar on Bayi Glacier

A research team from the State Key Laboratory of Remote Sensing and Digital Earth, in collaboration with the Laboratory of Electromagnetic Radiation and Detection Technology at the Aerospace Information Research Institute of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (AIRCAS), has successfully completed field testing of a self-developed unmanned vehicle-mounted glacier penetrating radar on the Bayi Glacier in the central Qilian Mountains. The tests ran from October 10 to 25, 2025.

The radar marks a major advance in autonomous glacier monitoring. Using a novel, low-power, digital-type penetrating radar, it achieves high-precision, fine-scale measurements of glacier thickness while consuming relatively low energy. During the field campaign, the team conducted extensive high-resolution surveys across tens of kilometers of the glacier, with millimeter-level measurement intervals.

The system penetrated more than 100 meters below the ice surface, capturing clear images of the ice-bedrock interface and subglacial terrain, with a 100% valid data acquisition rate. Compared with conventional glacier monitoring instruments, it represents a significant leap in detection efficiency, data accuracy, and energy performance. It also operates reliably under extreme high-altitude and low-temperature conditions, supporting long-term observations.

The technology enhances both the efficiency and spatial coverage of glacier monitoring, providing key data for evaluating water reserves in the so-called "Asian Water Tower." It has important implications for understanding global climate change, managing water resources, and protecting fragile alpine ecosystems.

Bayi Glacier, also known as Xiaoshalong Glacier, is situated on the southern slope of the Nansha Mountains in the central sector of the Qilian Mountains, a major mountain range in northern China that forms the northeastern edge of the Tibetan Plateau and plays a crucial role in regional water resources and climate regulation.

As the largest glacier in the headwaters of the Heihe River—China's second-largest inland river—it stretches 2.2 kilometers, covers 2.81 square kilometers, and ranges in elevation from 4,520 to 4,828 meters. Its size and location make it an ideal site for testing and demonstrating the capabilities of the unmanned glacier penetrating radar.

The unmanned vehicle-mounted glacier penetrating radar. (Image by AIR)

A group photo of the joint expedition team. (Image by AIR)