Suppliers and public safety officials looking to deliver supplies at high speed during the COVID-19 pandemic, without exposing personnel to the deadly novel coronavirus, are looking to high-payload compact drones. 

The drones already have been used to reduce exposure to the virus in hundreds of areas in China, where the disease first spread to humans. They can play an important role in a coronavirus solution by helping to slow the spread of COVID-19 while delivering essential supplies.

Heavy-payload drones can safely perform duties of police departments, firefighters, hospitals, rescue services, food banks, merchants and others. 

Drones Reduce Contact

People facilitate the spread of the coronavirus from carriers of the pathogen by touching or interacting too closely. That’s why so many people have been ordered to stay indoors except for life-sustaining tasks, such as buying food. For the elderly and others at higher risk, including the chronically ill, staying at home becomes even more important. In addition, of course, those exposed are on quarantine, unable to leave their homes for even life-sustaining local travel.

Health-care workers are exposed daily and getting supplies to them through ordinary means can cause exposure to those making deliveries.

Delivering supplies by drone eliminates person-to-person contact, aiding in pandemic prevention and reduction. A drone can reach normally difficult-to-access or contaminated places to drop food, medicine, facemasks, filters and other necessities. 

Advantages

A heavy-payload drone such as the DJI Matrice 600 Pro adapts well to emergency delivery needs.

Because it’s powerful, with six rotors and long propellers, the M600 Pro can 

handle payloads of up to 13 pounds.  All this power makes it fast, reaching speeds of 40 miles per hour.  Maneuverability includes the ability to hover, resist crosswinds, ascend and descend quickly, back up, and fly outdoors or indoors.  Sensors enable it to automatically avoid obstacles—tall buildings and poles in cities, trees in rural areas.

Accuracy from built-in GPS sends the M600 Pro where you want—to a hospital loading dock or emergency room entrance or the home of an elderly shut-in. Missions are drawn easily onscreen. Once complete, the drone can return to home at a preset altitude desired.  It comes with a 100ft clearance but can be set higher as needed.

With the versatile Matrice 600 Pro, an operations base can be almost anywhere, even in a pick-up truck bed.  No airstrip is needed. Long-range capability enables this hexacopter to fly 3.1 miles under complete control, beaming live video.

Operators can customize drone capabilities with an available Software Development Kit (SDK) to finely adapt the M600 Pro to a variety of missions.

Making Your System Work

A drone works best when it’s part of a system. Make sure your seller can supply the other equipment you may need, including the A3 controller for flexibility and performance. Look for payload drops, batteries, multiple battery chargers and management systems, and portable power supplies. 

Devices You May Need

These devices from dronenerds.com will make supply delivery safe and effective during the COVID-19 crisis and in any subsequent health or safety emergency:

• DJI Matrice 600 Pro Hexacopter
• Spare TB47S Batteries
• Comprehensive Battery Management System with Charging Hub
• Software Development Kit (SDK)
• A3 Pro Flight Controller
• Third-Party Payload Drop

Guidance is available from dronenerds.com expert technicians.