Drones used in Terengganu, Malaysia to detect high body temperatures in public areas as COVID-19 cases spike

Police in Malaysia’s Terengganu state are using drones to detect high body temperatures among people in public areas as the country undergoes its third nationwide lockdown.

The drones can detect body temperatures from as high as 20m above the ground, said state police chief Rohaimi Md Isa.

The drones, based in Kuala Terengganu, were loaned to the state by a private company for police use throughout the enforcement of the full lockdown.

In April last year, Terengganu police also used drones to track the movements and temperatures of residents in Dungun during the movement control order (MCO).

Malaysia is currently in a “total lockdown” from Jun 1 until Jun 14 amid a third wave of COVID-19 cases.

As of Sunday, Malaysia has recorded a total of 616,815 COVID-19 cases and 3,378 deaths since the start of the pandemic.