China’s BeiDou navigation system assists epidemic prevention

Innovative technologies have played their roles in China’s fight against the novel coronavirus
(COVID-19) outbreak. The BeiDou Navigation Satellite System (BDS) is among them. After the
outbreak of the epidemic, the system was immediately applied in epidemic prevention and control,
serving as a pioneer in the battle.
When the country was racing against time to build Huoshenshan and Leishenshan makeshift
hospitals, BDS equipment provided high-precision and efficient positioning and mapping services
at the construction sites and therein helped speed up the construction.
After BDS technicians arrived at the construction site of Huoshenshan Hospital with BDS
positioning equipment on the eve of the Chinese New Year, the survey of the site was smoothly
completed. The terminal also enabled workers to finish setting out and linear works at one time,
even in complicated environments, such as in the woods and among building complexes, which
significantly reduced the construction period for the two hospitals.
The BDS-based unmanned devices contributed a major part to the reduction of human contacts
amid epidemic. For example, delivery drones with load capacity ranging from 10 kilograms to 1.5
tons controlled under the BDS are able to drop emergency supplies in designated areas in a rapid
and accurate manner.
The first BDS-based drone for operating in epidemic areas were sent to Wuhan’s Jinyintan
Hospital, Hubei province midmorning of Feb. 12. It successfully delivered medical and protective
supplies to the medical staff.
Shanghai-based Qianxun SI is a satellite location service provider that operates high-precision
data for BDS. The company has established an online platform offering BDS-produced routes for
unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) across the country to join the fight against the epidemic. The
platform enables drones to achieve centimeter-level accuracy on aerial disinfection and patrolling
missions.
In Beijing and Hubei, agricultural drones have been widely used to disinfect virus-hit areas. A
BDS-based drone can spray 5,000 square meters on a single flight and cover places beyond the
reach of other disinfection vehicles.
In Ruichang, east China's Jiangxi province, police officers are using BDS-based drones to patrol in
densely populated areas to reduce congregation and remind people to protect themselves against
the virus.
To ensure stable and accurate material supply, the transport routes must be smooth. Under the
guidance of the BDS, vehicles could quickly deliver emergency medical and living materials from
across the country to destinations through the most optimal routes.
Via the BDS terminals installed on vehicles under a national monitoring and service platform for
cargo vehicles, over 6 million automobiles are receiving notifications on epidemic control,
transportation of medical materials and road services sent by China’s Ministry of Transport.
Besides, the ministry is also recommending routes for the drivers and providing route history of
the vehicles in the past 14 days. It sends information of vehicles passing the most-hit areas to
industry authorities and provides data to guarantee the coordination of major commercial vehicles
and the transportation of emergency materials.
Unmanned delivery vehicles operated under the BDS are also busy sending medical materials to
hospitals, serving as a vital connection between hospitals in Wuhan and distribution stations.