“Westport first town in CT to use drones to fight coronavirus”

Westport News further noted that “David McGuire, executive director of the ACLU of Connecticut, said he recognizes that COVID-19 is a grave public health risk, and innovative tools should be considered to help mitigate the problem.  But, he said, ‘technology is no magic pill to stemming the pandemic …Towns and the state should be wary of self-interested, privacy-invading companies using COVID-19 as a chance to market their products and create future business opportunities,” he said.

According to a report posted by TheBlaze.com, The drones are able to recognize primary symptoms–based on heart and respiratory rates–of covid-19 in people up to 190 feet away.  Westport reportedly is working with Draganfly, a health care data service, and the University of South Australia in the trial effort.  Drone photos courtesy of the Westport Police Department.  Westport Town Hall courtesy of Christian Abraham, Hearst Connecticut Media