After the outbreak of the 2019 novel Coronavirus in China and its spread throughout the world, more companies and institutions are turning to the use of robots and drones to combat the virus. Several applications of the newest technologies are being rolled out for widespread use in many areas to produce solutions such as crowd control, area monitoring, disinfection of public spaces, etc. The pandemic has fast-tracked this process with more efficient responses and technological solutions being deemed as urgent.

In China, several cities have been using speaker-equipped drones for patrolling areas to monitor those not maintaining social distancing or those without proper personal protective equipment such as face masks. Spain was the first country to make use of its agricultural drones for disinfection of larger places where several countries have followed the lead. In the US, drones are being used for delivery of medical supplies and equipment to hospitals and to patients. South Korea uses a combination of location data, camera footage, and other personal information to track the spread of the virus. Singapore has also been actively involved in promoting the use of drones to battle the virus and the Philippines is also no exception with Pasig City’s disinfectant drones. Several more countries have applied this technology in their cities seeing as how strong an investment it would be especially in this time where in-person disinfection or maintenance is not a preferred method as it risks the health of many workers on a regular basis.

As we see the pandemic far from its end, it is critical that we maximize our resources and local innovations to promote safer spaces and a stronger approach to battle the virus. Several researchers and companies are working hard to produce more unique and effective solutions that would eventually bring us closer to the end of the pandemic and at this time, it is important to invest in essential logistical moves such as the deployment of UAV technology.