Drones Join Fight Against Coronavirus

• Drones are showing their worth in the fight against coronavirus and demonstrating the benefits of operating remotely;

• Drones with loudspeakers are being used to share key information. The DJI Mavic 2 Enterprise - with a loudspeaker accessory - is a perfect tool for this;

• Drones, like the DJI Agras, are spraying disinfectant, while UAS with thermal cameras are detecting people's temperature;

• Drones can spray disinfectant '50 times faster' than traditional methods, and reduce the risk to workers by accessing areas remotely;

• The current COVID-19 crisis shows the potential of drone technology and highlights the Drones For Good message.

Drones, including DJI models, are helping in the fight against the coronavirus (COVID-19) - showing the benefits of using technology to operate remotely.

Amid the panic and the spread of the illness around the world, drones have emerged as a crucial tool to try to tackle and isolate the virus.

UAS have been used to spray disinfectant, use loudspeakers to disperse crowds - such as the loudspeaker on the DJI Mavic 2 Enterprise - and encourage people to wear masks, monitor people's temperatures, and transport quarantine supplies and medical samples.

The advantages are that drones can cover far more ground than traditional methods, and by operating remotely, they reduce risk to workers who would otherwise spend more time potentially exposed to the virus and the disinfectant.

Heliguy is a DJI Gold Partner and can supply police forces and other organisations with drones to help in the fight against the coronavirus. Contact us by phone or email for more information.

Coronavirus - Derbyshire Police Uses Drone To Enforce UK Lockdown

Derbyshire Police has used its drone to enforce rules against non-essential travel, following the UK lockdown on Monday, March 23.

The force tweeted a video - now watched more than a million times - which highlighted people being out and about in the Peak District.

Despite posts yesterday highlighting issues of people still visiting the #PeakDistrict despite government guidance, the message is still not getting through. @DerPolDroneUnit have been out at beauty spots across the county, and this footage was captured at #CurbarEdge last night. pic.twitter.com/soxWvMl0ls

— Derbyshire Police (@DerbysPolice) March 26, 2020

In a series of tweets about the video, Derbyshire Police said:

Cars were parked in both the car park and on the hill up to it. A bags of stones that was at the entrance as a roadblock had been pulled to the side to allow cars to enter. Plenty of people were walking, many of which had parked up in cars before heading out for their walk.

Some number plates were coming back to keepers in #Sheffield, so we know that people are travelling to visit these areas. Daily exercise should be taken locally to your home. Under government guidance all travel is limited to essential travel only.

Travelling to remote areas of the #PeakDistrict for your exercise is not essential travel. PLEASE, #StayHomeSaveLives.

We understand that people will have differing views about this post, however, we will not be apologetic for using any legal and appropriate methods to keep people safe.

Our actions and the government’s advice are there to keep you and others safe and ensure that our NHS is able to cope in order to save as many lives as possible.

Earlier this month, Northamptonshire Police announced that eight police officers working on response teams have been trained as police drone pilots and two new drones and associated equipment have been purchased to give the Force a 24/7 drone capacity.

Following the C-19 outbreak in the UK, chief constable Nick Adderley said he planned to increase the Force's number of drones from two to eight, and the technology could be used to distribute public information messages to help with enforcement during the coronavirus crisis.

He said using drones would be a 'cost-effective way' to pass on information. They would be equipped with speakers in order for them to transmit messages to the public.

Coronavirus - Drones Used For Spraying Disinfectant

As part of the fight, DJI - the world's leader in civilian drones and aerial imaging technology - has pledged almost $1.5million in aid to help contain the outbreak of the virus.

DJI says the move 'embodies the DJI spirit' and adds: 'We hope the lessons learned from this crisis will help us use drones, sensors and other cutting-edge solutions even better during future medical, humanitarian, disaster response and relief missions.'

As part of this, DJI has adapted its Agras series of agricultural spraying drones to spray disinfectant in potentially affected areas.

DJI has sprayed disinfectant in over 3 million square meters in Shenzhen. The company also helped 1,000 counties in China to adopt the spraying method and targeted areas such as factories, residential areas, hospitals, and waste treatment plants.

With this solution, spraying efficiency can be 50 times faster than traditional methods.

Coronavirus - Using Drones With Loudspeakers

DJI drones have also been equipped with loudspeakers to help disperse public gatherings in crowded places. UAVs have also been used to urge people to wear masks and follow public-health safety practises.

This method was deployed in Spain over the weekend, with police using drones to enforce movement restrictions.

One of the best drones for this is the DJI Mavic 2 Enterprise Series, which come with a loudspeaker accessory. These drones are inexpensive, lightweight, foldable, easily transportable and can be deployed quickly.

Indeed, pictures have emerged which show a Mavic 2 Enterprise being deployed along the Promenade des Anglais, in Nice, by the French Riviera police. Officials have used drone technology to give coronavirus orders to the public, such as 'Keep a safe distance of at least one metre (3 feet) between people'.

DJI Mavic 2 Enterprise being deployed in Nice.

Coronavirus - Using Drones To Monitor Body Temperatures And Deliver Medical Supplies

Drones have also been used to fly banners advising people how to learn more about precautions, while thermal cameras on drones have been deployed to monitor body temperatures so medical staff can identify new potential cases.

The DJI Mavic 2 Enterprise Dual comes with a thermal sensor, or a DJI M200 Series drone integrated with an XT2 camera can be used for capturing thermal data.

Meanwhile, Japanese company Terra Drone employed its UAV system to transport medical samples and quarantine supplies in China to fight the coronavirus.

A medical delivery drone flew from the People’s Hospital of Xinchang County to the disease control centre of Xinchang County, marking the launch of the first urban-air transportation channel to help to fight of COVID-19.

Using Drones To Fight Coronavirus - Summary

Drones have proved their worth during the coronavirus pandemic, as next-gen tech plays a key part in the fight to contain the disease.

All too often, drones are portrayed negatively in the media, but UAS' role in the coronavirus battle has shown their true value and potential and reinforced the #DronesForGood message.

Heliguy is a DJI Gold Partner headquartered in the UK, as well as having a base in Texas, U.S. With more than 10 years of experience in the industry and serving major enterprise clients across a range of industry verticals, Heliguy can start, support and scale your enterprise drone programme. Drones can boost your ROI, increase efficiency and improve safety. To find out how Heliguy can help you, give us a call or send us an email.