In July 1978, the Chinese government approved the Tengchong Aerial Remote Sensing Experiment led by the Chinese Academy of Sciences. The experiment commenced in December of the same year and concluded in December 1980.

This pioneering experiment marked China’s first large-scale, multidisciplinary, comprehensive aerial remote-sensing application demonstration. It set a precedent for technology integration and knowledge innovation and was also a successful example of high-tech collaboration between academic institutions and local governments.

The Tengchong Aerial Remote Sensing Experiment played a pivotal role in China’s remote sensing development. It is regarded as the pioneering project for the country’s remote sensing industry and is hailed as the “cradle of China’s remote sensing industry.”