Chinese officials recently announced that the government is turning to unmanned aerial drones as part of their most recent efforts to combat air pollution. The drones, which are equipped with infrared cameras, can detect illegal pollution from factories at night, and, according to the Ministry of Environmental Protection, would be able to “recognize a matchbox from 1000 meters above.” Eleven drones have flown missions in the most polluted regions of the country so far and have detected 64 factories committing violations. The Ministry plans to look into the alleged polluters and make the results of their investigations public. Currently, the Beijing Municipal Research Institute of Environmental Protection estimates that air pollution in the Chinese capital will not reach safe levels until at least 2030. For the full story, see http://www.smh.com.au/technology/technology-news/china-deploys-drones-to-combat-illegal-polluters-20140707-zsyi1.html.