HYDERABAD: One must have seen the viral videos from China where a public address system mounted on a drone tells an elderly citizen, who was out on the streets without wearing a mask during the lockdown period, to go back into his house. This may soon become a reality in Telangana.
The Express has learnt that the State government is mulling the possibility of scaling up the usage of drones in combatting the Covid-19 outbreak.
It has been meeting various drone companies and taking their inputs in this regard. Such companies have proposed to the State the various uses of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs).
The major use of an UAV in this fight is spraying of disinfectants. Drone companies from the city have explained to the State that the technology can be used in sanitising public spaces such as railway stations, special economic zones and so on.
They claim that drones can complete the work much faster than people. However, there are also other major uses for drones. The camera and speaker-equipped drones can be used to enforce lockdown and prevent people gathering at public places. They say it can be deployed in sensitive areas, where instructions would be given to people through drones.
The State has also been apprised by the drone companies on how drones equipped with thermal sensors can detect temperatures of individuals in a crowd in public spaces.
These drone companies are finding inspiration from China and South Korea, where medical staff identified new Covid-19 cases using this technology. However, when contacted, IT and Industries Principal Secretary Jayesh Ranjan said there were no such plans to expand the use of drones. And as for the spraying of disinfectants, Ranjan said its efficacy was not known yet.
As of now, the Karimnagar Municipal Corporation has used Marut company’s drones for spraying disinfectants in the area where 10 Indonesians and one local had tested positive for Coronavirus.
The drones sprayed disinfectants at the District Collectorate, rhythu bazaars and other public spaces. On Thursday, Narayanpet District Collector Hari Chandana said they were also using drones to fight Coronavirus in the district.
Prem Kumar Vishlawath, co-founder of Marut Drones said, “At a time when countries across the world are going for lockdowns owing to the ongoing pandemic, drones have emerged as a plausible solution to both spraying disinfectants and advising people to stay at home. Drones could prove a best solution to reduce infections, monitor people’s movement, crowd control, and delivery of medicines to those who are quarantined as well as elders.”
Not just in the cities in Telangana, but in Bengaluru, Mumbai and Coimbatore, drones are being used to contain the spread of Covid-19.
While Bengaluru and Coimbatore have been using UAVs to spray the disinfectants, the Mumbai police are using it to monitor curfew and lockdown.