Police in Treviolo, near Bergamo, are now using drones to take people’s temperatures and to control movement.
A heat sensor takes the offender’s temperature and sends the information to a drone operator, who stares at a thermal map on his hand-held screen — shining orange and purple blobs.
“Violations of the regulations result in administrative and criminal penalties,” the drone says.
Italy’s coronavirus epicentre in the northern province of Bergamo, in Lombardy region, has had enough of people spreading COVID-19.
“Once a person’s temperature is read by the drone, you must still stop that person and measure their temperature with a normal thermometer,” Matteo Copia, police commander in Treviolo, near Bergamo, told AFP. “But drones are useful for controlling the territory.”
Copia says the local police force has received new powers that allow it to check people’s temperature without their knowledge or permission.
“Everything is perfectly legal,” the police commander said. “At this moment of emergency, the Italian civil aviation authority has authorised us to control people using critical and non-critical operations. “The critical operations involve city overflights.”
Some Italians have had enough of the buzzing machines and their heat maps.
“The use of drones might seem positive but in my opinion, it’s a privacy violation,” local student Carlotta Locatelli said.
But pensioner Regina Masper said the drones delivered a public good.
“I think it’s good that they are using drones,” the pensioner said. “At least we know who is infected and who is not.”
Source: France 24