On February 26th, the temperature in Shuangle Town, Shuanghe City, Fifth Division of Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps dropped to minus 20 degrees Celsius, and the wind carried sand particles that made people unable to open their eyes. The Xinjiang Exit Entry Border Inspection General Station Bozhou Border Management Detachment Alashankou Border Police Station is located at the border of Shuangle Town and Alashankou City. On that day, I followed police officer Ma Yi'an and his colleagues to patrol the border. 26 year old Ma Yi'an is one of the drone pilots at the police station. After arriving at the patrol point, Ma Yi'an did not immediately take off the equipment, but first observed the wind direction and tested the airspace, and only pressed the remote control start button when the wind slightly eased. Accompanied by a low buzzing sound, a silver gray drone slowly took off and flew towards the depths of the Tusai Valley in the border area. Clear vision, I will make some adjustments to the east and focus on investigating the junction of mountain valleys. ”Ma Yi'an stared closely at the screen, his tone calm. The winding paths, towering boundary markers, and continuous barren mountains are all visible in high-definition footage. Ma Yi'an said, "There are over 200 days of strong winds throughout the year here. When the wind is strong, drones cannot take off, so we have to rely on vehicle patrols and foot patrols. If the wind permits, drones can be used to extend the patrol radius. No matter what method is used, the border must be thoroughly patrolled and thoroughly inspected." This sentence is deeply rooted in the blood of perseverance. This border defense road carries the patriotic sentiment of three generations of Ma Yi'an's family in guarding the border. In 1962, Ma Yi'an's grandfather Ma Jianshou came from Hubei Province to Tusai Gou and became one of the first border militia of the 90th Regiment of the 5th Division of the Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps. At that time, there were a total of 90 militia members who rooted themselves in Tusai Gou with him. Without barracks, vehicles, and modern equipment, everyone dug trenches to shelter themselves from the wind and rain, drank water from the canal, chewed dry naan, and relied solely on "iron feet" for border patrols. The only "technical equipment" of the whole team is an old-fashioned telescope, which is regarded as the "second pair of eyes" by the old militia. Ma Yi'an grew up listening to her grandfather's stories of patrolling the border. My grandfather's diary of patrolling the border is not long, but the words are resounding: "In January, there was heavy wind and snow, patrolling the border for more than ten miles, and the boundary markers were intact." "The canal water froze, melted snow drank water, and we couldn't stop guarding the border." My grandfather also often told him about an old horse named "September". At that time, the Alashankou Pass was heavily foggy and difficult to navigate in extreme weather, so the militia dragged the tail of "September" forward. September repeatedly brings everyone back safely to the duty station. The story of Grandpa's border patrol planted the seeds of guarding the border and serving the country in Ma Yi'an's heart. Time passes by, and the baton of guarding the border is handed over to Ma Jianjun, the father of Ma Yi'an. The conditions gradually improved, and the underground shelters became simple duty rooms. Patrol vehicles were available for border patrols, and police dogs became the most reliable companions for border guards. When encountering a snowstorm with visibility less than ten meters, we rely solely on police dogs to lead the way. From 2014 to 2020, Ma Jianjun served as a border guard and often reminded his son, "Border patrol is about guarding the country's borders. The string of safety cannot be loosened for a moment." Just as Ma Yi'an was introducing the story of his grandfather and father's border defense, a warning suddenly popped up on the drone control screen: a border guard facility had suffered minor damage. Ma Yi'an immediately lowered the height of the drone, accurately positioned it, and put away the remote control. He picked up his tool kit and said to his colleagues, "Let's go, deal with it on site." Following closely behind, after a short distance of a few hundred meters, the gravel made his feet numb. Not far away, a low wall half buried by wind and sand stands quietly, which is the remnants of the old land, witnessing the hardships and perseverance of the older generation of border guards. Arriving at the damaged point, Ma Yi'an and his colleagues quickly repaired and reinforced it. Did your grandfather often come to this place back then? ”The reporter asked. Well, Grandpa said the terrain here is complex and it's a key area, so we can't be careless at all. ”Ma Yi'an answered. On the same land, from grandfather's "iron footplate+old-fashioned telescope", to father's "patrol car+police dog", and then to Ma Yi'an's generation's "drone+intelligent prevention and control", what has changed is the way of guarding the border, but what remains unchanged is responsibility. Nowadays, drones can complete half a day of border patrols by the older generation of border guards in just 20 minutes. With a high-altitude perspective and intelligent recognition, hidden dangers can be detected more promptly, truly achieving a three-dimensional prevention and control of "air+ground". Technology has given wings to border defense. Returning to the police station, Ma Yi'an led the reporter to visit the exhibition hall inside the station. The old-fashioned telescope used by the grandfather is displayed among them, with peeling paint on the mirror body and signs of wear and tear on the barrel. Ma Yi'an placed the telescope and drone together, took out his phone and video with his 86 year old grandfather, showing off his patrol equipment. The old man looked at the screen and nodded repeatedly, "Okay, okay! Border defense is becoming more and more advanced now. Grandpa, don't worry! You must work hard, live up to this police uniform, and live up to the country." The old man's words were brief and powerful, and this instruction was passed down from grandfather to father, and then to Ma Yi'an's shoulder, passed down through three generations. Over sixty years of time have passed. From underground shelters to modern police stations, from hiking to technological patrols, from old-fashioned telescopes to intelligent drones, times are changing, conditions are changing, and technology is changing, but the original intention of border guards to safeguard the motherland's border has never changed. (New Society)