The Chinese coastguard is using more drones at Scarborough Shoal, a reef in the South China Sea claimed by both China and the Philippines. A Lunar New Year post showed Qiu Canhui, a drone operator and videographer on the coastguard ship Wanshan. Qiu spends his rest time studying video footage to handle challenges like wind, waves, and moving ships. He once filmed for five hours under intense sunlight as a foreign vessel tried to enter waters claimed by China. New officers are also training in drone and helicopter landings and take-offs under experienced instructors. Beijing's nearest military base is about 600 km away from Scarborough Shoal, making patrols expensive. China uses long-endurance drones like the GJ-2, which can fly for 20 hours. In November, a stealthy Wing Loong-10 drone was seen near the reef. Meanwhile, the US deployed MQ-9A Reaper drones to the Philippines to help with maritime security. Both China and the Philippines keep coastguard ships near this flashpoint to patrol the waters.