CHENNAI: A disease outbreak is a good time for the State to indulge in a little technology-aided surveillance, or so it seems. A group of aerospace engineering students from the Madras Institute of Technology (MIT), Chennai, have developed a drone that can keep an eye on those stepping out of their houses ‘unnecessarily’.
“An elderly person tested positive near Tambaram Market, Monday. So, the health staff had to check every person living in that street. We decided to use these drones to monitor social distancing there,” said a police officer.
“We have blocked the street, and have asked residents not to step out even to purchase essentials until the authorities give us a go ahead.”
“The drones, one with a speaker and another with a camera, come handy in monitoring the area without having to put personnel at risk of contracting infection,” added the officer. The camera-fitted drone will identify those stepping out of their houses and the speaker-fitted drone will be used by the personnel monitoring the visuals to warn the residents, explains Muthu M, associated with the project.
The same team earlier made a drone to spray disinfectants, and it was launched by the city corporation.
The project was originally developed by these students for surveillance of Marina beach.