Drones in China Hunt for Students Who Cheat
China is using drones to catch cheaters during the college entrance exam.
— -- Students in China are feeling the pressure and now eyes in the sky are making sure they don't succumb to the pressure by taking the easy way out.
The annual "Gaokao" entrance exam is a grueling two-day college entrance test taken by more than 9 million students. High school graduates commonly cram for months in preparation.
Every year, some students succumb to the lure of cheating. Twenty-three people have been arrested since late May for attempts at cheating this year, and more than 80 were punished last year. Students resort to hiring surrogate test-takers, using wireless equipment to relay answers or purchasing answers.
But this time, teachers and test proctors in central China are armed with a new weapon. Silent drones patrol the classrooms in search of wireless signals. Each six-propped drone costs tens of thousands of dollars and can stay in the air for up to 30 minutes. For now, no suspicious signals have been detected.
The Associated Press contributed to this story.
