- Title: Disinfection by drone in Cannes as France fights coronavirus
- Date: 10th April 2020
- Summary: CANNES, FRANCE (APRIL 10, 2020) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF OPERATORS PUTTING SOLUTION INTO RESERVOIR OF DISINFECTION DRONE DRONE TAKING OFF DRONE IN AIR, SPRAYING SOLUTION OPERATOR DRONE IN AIR, SPRAYING SOLUTION (SOUNDBITE) (French) DRONES SALES MANAGER FOR FLYING EYE, WHICH MAKES DISINFECTION DRONE, FRANCOIS-XAVIER BIZIEUX, SAYING: "The advantage of spraying with a drone is that we can manage the amount of solution that we will spread on surfaces. And so there's an ecological impact, and we're spreading the strict minimum necessary. We can also protect the operator by getting him as far as possible from the solution." DRONE TAKING OFF DRONE IN FLIGHT (SOUNDBITE) (French) RETIREE, MICHELINE OLIVA-LECONTE, SAYING: "This morning when I got here, I was parking and there was a drone diffusing disinfecting solution, I suppose. I was quite surprised, I've never seen that. I think it's quite fabulous - that's progress." (SOUNDBITE) (French) RETIREE, MARIA METTE, SAYING: "I'm taking precautions. We can't say we're 100 percent safe, but we take precautions, we have hand gel, we're doing everything to try to make sure that the risk of being infected is at the minimum." (JOURNALIST ASKING: "And so what do you think of this type of disinfection?") "I think it's a positive thing." (SOUNDBITE) (French) RETIREE, ROBERT BENHOUMAR, SAYING: "It's a very good thing, but they're not just disinfecting over there. They disinfect the streets all day - trucks with water pipes, with police in front and behind, and I think it's good." DISINFECTION WORKERS IN PROTECTIVE SUITS AND FACE MASKS WALKING ON SQUARE DISINFECTION OPERATION TAKING PLACE WITH POLICE VAN ANNOUNCING (French): "The town hall is proceeding with street disinfection. Please stay at home." VARIOUS OF WORKER SPRAYING DISINFECTING SOLUTION ON PAVEMENT (SOUNDBITE) (French) CANNES MAYOR, DAVID LISNARD, SAYING: "I've asked for opinions from scientists, and what's happening here is an experiment on a square where an open market takes place. Before we open the market, we want to be sure that everything is well disinfected, since according to a report by the scientific council, which everyone has been talking about and which no one has read, it's written that the virus can stay up to a week on certain substances, notably on plastic and on oxydised steel, both of which are often used in urban properties. The character of innovation for France is that we are progressing in the clean up of urban properties." DISINFECTION TRUCK DRIVING PAST VARIOUS OF DISINFECTION OPERATION ON SQUARE DISINFECTION MATERIALS ON BACK OF TRUCK LA CROISETTE PROMENADE MAN WITH DOG WALKING ON PROMENADE VARIOUS OF DOCK OF CARLTON CANNES BEACH CLUB BEACH AND VIEW OF CANNES
- Embargoed: 24th April 2020 13:37
- Keywords: Cannes David Lisnard France confinement coronavirus outbreak disinfection drone
- Location: CANNES, FRANCE
- City: CANNES, FRANCE
- Country: France
- Topics: Health/Medicine
- Reuters ID: LVA001C8WSC3R
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: The city of Cannes on the French Riveria is using drones to disinfect its streets, as the country continues to battle the new coronavirus that has so far killed more than 12,000 nationwide.
Normally used for agricultural purposes, the drone, dubbed DJI Agras and operated by French company Flying Eye, carries disinfecting solution on its reservoir and sprays it while in flight.
Operators tried the drone's first urban disinfection operation on Friday (April 10) in Cannes, a first in France.
"The advantage of spraying with a drone is that we can manage the amount of solution that we will spread on surfaces," Flying Eye representative Francois-Xavier Bizieux told Reuters. "And so, there's an ecological impact and we're spreading the strict minimum necessary."
Locals said they were surprised by the drone, an innovative way of disinfection.
The drone complements regular street disinfection operations in Cannes, which started on March 25 and involves city workers in protective suits spraying diluted bleach solution in streets.
Cannes Mayor David Lisnard said the operations are important since, citing a report by France's government-appointed Scientific Council, the new coronavirus can stay on materials used in urban properties for up to a week.
Cannes officials plan to evaulate the effects of the disinfection, and said they might hold another drone clean-up one week before the end of the coronavirus lockdown. No official date has been established for the end of the nationwide confinement.
In the region of Provence-Alpes-Cote d'azur, 251 people have died in hospital since the beginning of the new coronavirus epidemic, France's health agency said.
(Production: Michel Bernouin, Ardee Napolitano) - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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