Drones have been around for a while now, and their uses continue to grow. Now they're being used in a variety of ways related to COVID-19. There is a group of volunteers flying over parks in Manhattan reminding people to maintain social distancing. Daytona Beach used drones to disperse crowds; this allowed police to safely remind people to maintain safe distances without risking exposure themselves. Savannah Georgia is also planning to use drones to remind people to maintain safe distances, Massachusetts police are considering drones, Connecticut police are planning to use drones in public parks, and New Jersey has announced plans to launch a drone program as well. The U.S. is not alone; Germany, Kazakhstan, China, France, and other countries have drones flying near crowds and playing recorded messages. It is a great way to keep police and the public safe. However, there are always privacy concerns, people have reported that having drones lying around with messages is creepy, and while the drones are not making announcements, it is easy to see why people might fear they are being recorded as well. Massachusetts acknowledged that the benefits of the technology must be weighed against privacy issues which is part of the state's review of using drones to maintain social distancing.
Drones can be used beyond just announcements reminding people to stay six feet apart. Drones can be used for deliveries and even disinfection. A Canadian company working with Australian researchers developed a drone that could fly over people and identify their temperature, heart and respiratory rates, and can detect people sneezing and coughing in crowds. The Westport Connecticut police department is testing this pandemic drone. The drone can accurately detect infectious conditions within 190 feet and measure social distancing for public safety measures. The drone uses software using biometric readings to understand population patterns, which would allow faster reaction time to ongoing events or health threats. As of April 21 it had been in testing for five days, and it is anticipated that it will continue to be used throughout the summer to reinforce social distancing in order to control and limit the spread of COVID-19. In order to protect privacy it does not use any facial recognition technology. The idea is that the drone will help first responders quickly find people who may be infected.
Plans are to use the drones in areas where people tend to congregate such as Compo Beach, Wakeman Field, Longshore and other areas where the police have already received complaints about potentially unsafe large gatherings. Three department drones can be outfitted with the pandemic technology. The department has been using drones already in a variety of ways. Drones have been used to map serious accidents, find missing persons, track suspects, assist with emergency situations such as barricaded subjects, and to help fire departments detect hot spots by using thermal imaging.
China adapted drones used for spraying pesticides to spray disinfectant in some public spaces and on epidemic prevention vehicles that were traveling between areas impacted by the coronavirus. Drone spraying can be even and consistent, unlike hand spraying that may not be as accurate. Depending on the situation, drone spraying can be fifty times more efficient than people using hand sprayers.
Another use of drones is for delivery; drones can be used to transport medical samples to labs quickly and without contact – much faster than traveling by road. China used drones to deliver medical samples in February in a trip that took six minutes by drone but would have taken twenty minutes by ground transportation. Food and other goods were delivered to remote areas quickly and safely. These successes show how drones can be used in times of national or even global emergency. Grand Forks North Dakota is starting a test program for delivery of food, medicine and other essentials to residents' homes. During the testing phase, select homes can opt into the program to have drones deliver goods.
There are however, many issues that need to be dealt with. Regulations for drones are still being developed and need to be solidified in order for drones to be used widely for consumer deliveries, either in times of emergency or not.
Privacy is a constant issue; people are afraid of being watched or videotaped, and many are afraid of authorities overstepping their bounds. Police in Derbyshire England were widely criticized for posting a video of two people walking their dog in a park and then tweeting the picture with a comment that taking the dog to the park is not essential travel. The Derbyshire police defended their position, while British civil liberties groups called the video sinister and counter-productive. French police have also been using drones to track people down after the country went on lockdown, but a specific French law allows the use of drones as a tool to remind people of movement restrictions currently in place.
The insurance industry has already been using drones during natural disasters, where drones can quickly be deployed before people are allowed into a hazardous area. With the distancing restrictions, drones can readily be used to safely conduct inspections and keep adjusters and insureds safe. Tornadoes, hail, hurricanes, fires, and other losses will continue to occur; regardless of the pandemic, claims must be handled. Drones allow adjusters to conduct inspections remotely and continue to provide prompt service to customers.
While regulations for drones are still being settled, it is obvious that drones are here to stay. They are readily adaptable and able to perform a variety of functions quickly and safely.