Police departments in some states have started using drones to deal with the COVID-19 crisis. In California, Florida and New Jersey, officials have used drones to get messages to homeless communities or warn people to stay apart and respect physical distancing. But some drone companies are making even bigger claims, like they can remotely detect a fever or use facial recognition to see if someone’s wearing a mask.
I spoke with Ryan Calo, a professor of law at the University of Washington who studies emerging tech and policy. He said it’s good that people are thinking creatively, but there is cause for concern. The following is an edited transcript of our conversation.
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https://www.marketplace.org/shows/marketplace-tech/covid-19-pandemic-drones-safety-surveillance/