With the help of a cotton swab attached to the sensor, the drones can improve temperature-reading accuracy within a 0.5-degree centigrade range.
A photo of gray DJI Mavic drone. Image credit: Jason Blackeye on Unsplash
China's biggest drone making company launched an emergency temperature detection solution on February 19, in a move to help frontline personnel in the epidemic.
According to ThePaper.cn(澎湃新闻), the Mavic 2 Enterprise Dual is now able to measure temperatures for people who remain in a high-rise building, or on the highway, while keeping a certain distance from the drone operator. Once an abnormal temperature is detected, a signal will be displayed on a screen, warning the field personnel to seek further verification. As more and more people are now going back to work or school, the task of temperature-checks in public places becomes heavier. Thermal-sensitive drones may help to prevent field personnel from being exposed and improve the efficiency of the detection process.
This ‘thermal drone’ product was initially designed for a new generation of workers to solve workplace challenges in various environments, including farms and development sites. The initial model’s 5-degree-centigrade margin of error in the measurement of heat makes them unsuitable for body temperature measurement. After receiving an order from above, the engineering team came up with an emergency solution within three days. A cotton swab is used as a simple version of a black body, which emits as much or more thermal radiative energy as any other body at the same temperature. The cotton swab’s reference allows the thermal drone to correct the results and control the reading for error within a 0.5-degree-centigrade range. With this simple modification, the drones are now playing an essential role in epidemic prevention work.
The DJI Mavic 2 Enterprise Dual is one of the most advanced drones, capable of carrying an assortment of payloads to assist enterprise users with more advanced aerial needs. The drones allow users to communicate with ground teams during an emergency situation, effectively guiding workers across the operation. The Isotherm helps the user to get accurate heat measurements on a variety of objects and scenarios which come in handy during the virus outbreak.
It is not the first time that drone has shown its ability to help beyond commercial use. In January this year, DJI's thermal drone helped a hurt hiker rappel 400 ft during a rescue at Snow Canyon State Park, UT. It was also being used in Australia to locate koalas injured in the recent bushfires that devasted the country. Although the question of how to regulate drone use is a hot potato in China and elsewhere, there is no doubt that the development of this new technology has brought many benefits to our world. And as the leading company in the industry, this Shenzhen based drone-maker deserves serious attention.
DJI is now the dominant market leader in the civilian drone industry, accounting for over 70% of the world's drone market. They have raised a total of USD 105 million in funding over three rounds, in just a few years. According to a report by The Information, DJI was expected to be valued at USD 15 billion after the latest funding round in 2018. The primary investors of the company include Brinc, Accel, Sequoia China, and Lighthouse Capital Management.