We already reported that drones were being used to stop the virus from spreading, but now DJI published an article that informs us that DJI pledged $1,5M on February 4th and uses DJI Agras T16 drones to fight Coronavirus in China.
DJI pledges $1,5M and uses DJI Agras T16 drones to fight Coronavirus in China
Since the COVID-19 coronavirus emerged in Wuhan, China in December of last year, it has spread around the world quickly. As of today, DJI reports that the death toll within mainland China exceeded 1,113, with 44,563 confirmed cases.
Naturally, DJI thought of using DJI Agras T16 drones to help fight the Coronavirus. The Chinese drone manufacturer pledged $1.5M in aid to help stop the virus from spreading. DJI also adapted the Agras series of agricultural spraying drones to spray disinfectant in potentially affected areas. DJI Agras T16 drones can disinfect larger areas far more quickly than when done by traditional means. Furthermore, using drones to do this work means fewer workers are potentially exposed to the virus.
After rounds of research and testing, teams developed best practices for spraying a chlorine or ethyl alcohol-based disinfectant from the air. The concentration of the solution as well as flight guidelines can be modified for different circumstances, such as whether an area is known to be infected or not.
DJI has sprayed disinfectant in over 3 million square meters in Shenzhen. The company is also helping 1,000 counties in China to adopt the spraying method. Target areas include factories, residential areas, hospitals, and waste treatment plants. In total, this covers 600 million square meters across the country so far. With this solution, spraying efficiency can be 50 times faster than traditional methods. In a crisis where time plays a critical role, this is great news.
Romeo Durscher, Senior Director of Public Safety Integration at DJI said that:
“Assisting on the containment of a disease, while ensuring safety to personnel, was very difficult to do in the past. This was a complete grassroots movement. Users inspired us to take action, and it was worth the effort. It embodies the DJI spirit, where anyone with the access to these new tools can help improve their environment and help society.”
Apart from using DJI Agras T16 drones to spray areas with disinfectants, unmanned aircraft outfitted with loudspeakers were also used to help disperse public gatherings in crowded places and drones with banners were used to communicate precautions to people on the ground. Drones with thermal cameras were used to help medical staff identify new potential cases among the public by measuring their body temperature remotely.
DJI also mentions deliveries by drone but doesn’t inform us if DJI drones were used in these situations.
Drone delivery is another popular topic. The outbreak has kept millions of families in their homes to avoid contact with others. A huge help to these households can come in the form of contactless delivery. Organizations can send food, supplies and medicine to anyone in need. At the same time, avoiding face-to-face contact will cut the risk of infection.
Based on the most recent information about the Coronavirus, DJI says that the tide seems to be turning.
While COVID-19 remains a threat, there are countless people with innovative ideas developing 21st-century solutions to save lives. We at DJI are proud to empower these individuals any way we can, and we will continue pushing forward with #DronesForGood to protect emergency responders as well as the public at large. 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.
The original article was posted here.
What do you think about the fact that DJI pledged $1,5M on February 4th and uses DJI Agras T16 drones to fight Coronavirus in China? Let us know in the comments below.
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