Drones Take to China’s Skies to Fight Coronavirus Outbreak
- Flying machines shame people for bad public-health practices
- Some online see humor, others a troubling use of technology
A pedestrian wearing a face-mask walks near the Bund in Shanghai.
Photographer: Qilai Shen/BloombergIn coronavirus-hit China, not wearing a face mask is a big no-no. Now, drones equipped with loudspeakers are out admonishing those who fail to follow public-health safety practices.
On microblogging platform Weibo, a video posted by Zhejiang News’s broadcasting channel shows a drone take off and scan the ground below for violators.
In one scene, it identifies an elderly woman who isn’t wearing a face mask. “Can’t you see? I’m talking about you. Put your face mask on and go home right away,” a polite but firm voice from the drone says. The woman seems confused at first, repeatedly glancing up at the hovering machine, then she puts on her mask and scurries back to her apartment building.