Unmanned Aerial Vehicles Against Covid-19 Pandemic: Main Applications and Limitations

Abstract

This paper presents the role and limitations of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles in emergency situations especially during the Covid-19 outbreak. The world had faced lot of disasters through the years leading to a flurry of innovation. New business opportunities have merged especially in the automation revolution. UAVs are small aircraft, mainly known as drones, that are used as technology for public safety companies. A Flying Ad Hoc Network is a network composed by UAVs. They are used in different military and civilian applications especially in areas where there is no infrastructure or where it is difficult to access. In emergency situations, like Covid-19 pandemic that many countries fight nowadays, these technologies help the authorities to control and limit the propagation of the virus. Spraying of disinfectants, temperature scanning, broadcasting of warning messages or detection of suspicious movements, many situations where UAVs can be used. In some countries, UAVs are also used to transport medical supplies including vaccines or deliver food supplies to customers. Because Covid-19 is still so contagious, it is safer to minimize human-to-human contact and use more technologies. However, due to their specific nature, UAVs present some limitations. Solutions to address these limitations are also discussed in this article.