More than 100 unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) have been deployed in Coronavirus-stricken cities across China to help support front-line staff battling the spread of the disease.
The industrial drones, manufactured by Shenzhen MicroMultiCopter (MMC), are operating in numerous major urban centres including Shanghai, Guangzhou and Zhaoqing.
Working in tandem with an MMC service team of over 200 people, the drones are providing a number of public services to help reduce the risk of further outbreaks.
For example, the UAVs are being used for daily aerial broadcasts and to help ground staff identify and disperse members of the public not wearing protective face masks.
The MMC drones are also being used to spray disinfectant in strategically chosen locations that require regular treatment, including supermarkets, courtyards and petrol stations.
What’s more, using a thermal camera, each drone can automatically sense individuals in highly crowded areas through high-accuracy infrared to assist in onsite management and evacuations.
And since the beginning of February, MMC service teams have reportedly been working with traffic police to monitor traffic flow in affected areas.
According to the company, the UAVs provide larger coverage than fixed cameras and so help provide traffic control solutions quicker.
Lu Zhihui, chairman of MMC, said: “Initially, the drones were used only for aerial broadcasting purposes, however, as the situation has become more serious, further functions have been required.
“As a result of the escalation, we quickly formed an online R&D team to carry out the new solutions, with the drones now deployed for deeper front-line use.”
