Robot aids rare plant, wildlife research in China's Ailao Mountains

A robot has helped researchers record ghost plants in the understory of the Ailao Mountains in southwest China's Yunnan Province, highlighting how technology can support biodiversity surveys in hard-to-reach forest environments.

Ghost plants. [Photo/VCG]

The finding comes as Yunnan reports other sightings of the rare plant. More than 60 wild ghost plants were reported recently in Yunnan's Dali. The discovery offers another glimpse of the region's rich plant diversity.

Ghost plants are found in Dacang Town, Dali, Yunnan Province, southwest China. [Video/China Media Group]

During the Ailao Mountains survey, the Lynx M20S robot developed by DEEP Robotics entered dense forests and steep terrains that were difficult for researchers to access. Its low-angle imaging helped the team document understory species that could be missed in conventional field observations.

A Lynx M20 robot is displayed at the 10th Silk Road International Expo in Xi'an, Shaanxi Province, northwest China, May 22, 2026. [Photo/VCG]

The robot also helped researchers advance their observation position by about 20 meters during a survey of the critically endangered western black-crested gibbon, a first-class state-protected species in China. The team obtained footage of the gibbons and their habitat for further research.

A western black-crested gibbon is seen in the Wuliang Mountain National Nature Reserve, Yunnna Province, southwest China, December 12, 2019. [Photo/VCG]

Conducted with the participation of the China Association for Scientific Expedition, the survey explored how robotics could extend researchers' reach and support wildlife observation in challenging natural environments.