Drones deployed to help contain coronavirus

Drone manufacturer Shenzhen MicroMultiCopter Aero Technology (MMC) has joined the battle against the Wuhan coronavirus, deploying a service team of over 200 people and over 100 drones in cities such as Shanghai, Guangzhou, Zhaoqing and other areas. There, the drones are undertaking various activities to help reduce the risk of spreading the virus among frontline staff.

Aerial broadcasting

Instead of artificially patrolling, drones are capable of 360° patrols to observe the ground condition through 40x zoom cameras. Those who don’t wear masks in public places are found and dispersed by the commanders through onboard megaphones. Daily broadcasting by drones is carried out in different communities.

Disinfectant spraying

From stations to supermarkets and small courtyards, MMC drones are used to spray disinfectant in public places. Compared to traditional methods, using drones can avoid direct contact — especially in those places requiring regular disinfection.

Aerial thermal sensing

Drones with thermal cameras will automatically sense each person through high-accuracy infrared. These have been widely used in crowded areas to assist in onsite management and evacuation.

Traffic control

Since 1 February, MMC teams have been working with traffic police to monitor the traffic flow. With larger coverage than fixed cameras, MMC drones helped commanders figure out solutions quickly. A member of the traffic police said, “Unlike previous years where we must drive to patrol and gather information, we can now discover everything using drones.”

Lu Zhihui, Chairman of MMC, said, “At first, our drones are used only in aerial broadcasting. It goes deeper in frontline use since the situation is getting more serious. Further functions are required, so we quickly formed an online R&D team and carried out the solutions.”

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