<p><img src="https://static2.businessinsider.com/image/60bde5d193c6fa00195e56c5-1923/GettyImages-1209507619.jpg" alt="Drone Malaysia" data-mce-source="Zahim Mohd/NurPhoto/Getty Images" data-mce-caption="A police surveillance drone flies at two apartment buildings in Kuala Lumpur on April 8, 2020, after they were cordoned off due to a number of cases of individuals with COVID-19 novel coronavirus at the premises." border="0"></p><p></p><bi-shortcode id="summary-shortcode" data-type="summary-shortcode" class="mceNonEditable" contenteditable="false">Summary List Placement</bi-shortcode><p>Malaysian police have been using drones to detect people with high temperatures in crowds, according to local reports.</p><p>The drones have been rolled out in Malaysia's Terengganu state for the past three days, <a href="https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/asia/malaysia-drones-terengganu-high-body-temperature-covid-19-14965512">Channel News Asia reported</a>, citing a state police statement from Monday.</p><p>According to police chief Rohaimi Md Isa, the drones can detect body temperatures from as high as 20 meters (65 feet) in the air, and emit a red light if temperatures over 37.5 degrees Celsius (99.5 degrees Fahrenheit) are detected.</p><p>These drones have been "immensely" helpful, Rohaimi said.</p><p>Malaysia enforced its <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/may/31/malaysia-struggling-to-contain-sharp-rise-in-covid-cases">third national lockdown on Tuesday</a> as the country's intensive care units struggle to contain a new wave of serious COVID-19 cases.</p><p>The number of patients in intensive care unit hit record highs for the 13th consecutive day on Sunday, <a href="https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/asia/covid-19-malaysia-icu-record-13th-straight-day-mco-lockdown-14959632">Channel News Asia said.</a></p><p>Early in the pandemic, authorities in India, Italy, Oman, the US, and China experimented with drones to monitor temperatures, <a href="https://slate.com/technology/2020/05/fever-detecting-drones-coronavirus-draganfly-research.html">Slate reported in May 2020</a>.</p><p>But the method drew criticism. Connecticut police pulled a plan the use of drones <a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/news/coronavirus-drones-slow-spread-covid-19/">monitoring heat signatures and tracking distance between people</a> over <a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/news/coronavirus-drones-slow-spread-covid-19/">privacy concerns from local residents</a>.</p><p>Malaysian police used drones in a previous lockdown, which can be seen in the video below, to play messages urging citizens to stay indoors, <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch'v=DzRGfxz_pqQhttps://www.reuters.com/video/watch/idOVC6F3L9J">according to local news reports.</a></p><div><iframe width="560" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/DzRGfxz_pqQ" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe></div><p></p><p><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/malaysia-police-drones-check-temperature-in-covid-19-case-surge-2021-6#comments">Join the conversation about this story »</a></p> <p>NOW WATCH: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/why-everyone-hates-moist-2018-5">Why 'moist' is one of the most hated words in the English language</a></p>
Click here to read full news..
