Drones are being re-purposed in China to try and prevent the further spread of the deadly coronavirus.
Fleets of drones have been spotted in villages and cities across the country, dispersing disinfectant, it has been reported.
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Videos taken in the coastal provinces of Jilin, Shandong, and Zhejiang have been shared on social media and show them hovering in the air while disinfectant liquid is sprayed from a device underneath the bot and into the atmosphere.
According to reports, a villager in Heze, Shandong, used his own personal drone to disinfect an area of 16,000 square metres (172,000 square feet) over the course of a single morning.
It's said that the unmanned aerial vehicles are proving to be a more effective method of delivering public hygiene than on foot or by car.
Police have also been out disinfecting the country's south-western Sichuan Province, in areas not otherwise easily accessible, such as people's roofs.
Crop protection officer Qin Chunhong, from the village of Longfu, Sichuan, reportedly disinfected his village using his own drone.
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He said: "Drones can cover a much wider area and achieve very good disease prevention results.
"As disinfectant is harmless to humans, it doesn't affect anyone's daily life."
This comes as the Department of Health confirmed earlier today that the first two patients tested positive for coronavirus in the UK.
Professor Chris Whitty, chief medical officer for England, said: "We can confirm that two patients in England, who are members of the same family, have tested positive for coronavirus.
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"The patients are receiving specialist NHS care, and we are using tried and tested infection control procedures to prevent further spread of the virus.
"The NHS is extremely well-prepared and used to managing infections and we are already working rapidly to identify any contacts the patients had, to prevent further spread.
"We have been preparing for UK cases of novel coronavirus and we have robust infection control measures in place to respond immediately.
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"We are continuing to work closely with the World Health Organisation and the international community as the outbreak in China develops to ensure we are ready for all eventualities."
Press Association claimed that sources close to the case said the two patients are being treated at a hospital in Newcastle.
Since the virus hit China earlier this month, around 10,000 people have been diagnosed with the illness, while so far 213 people have died.
The UK's first cases come after the World Health Organisation (WHO) declared the global outbreak of coronavirus to be a public health emergency of international concern.
Featured Image Credit: AsiaWireTopics: World News, Interesting, Health