China's BeiDou navigation satellites are helping the country in the fight against the novel coronavirus epidemic through precision positioning functions.

(Photo/People's Daily Online)

When the country was building the makeshift Huoshenshan and Leishenshan hospitals in Wuhan, the epicenter of the epidemic, equipment of the BeiDou Navigation Satellite System (BDS) provided highly-precise positioning services for measurements at construction sites and therein helped workers speed up construction.

Drones backed by the BDS have been used to transport emergency medical materials in a fast and accurate manner. On Feb. 12, a total of 20 drones were utilized to deliver medical materials to hospitals in Wuhan.

Such drones were also used to spray disinfectant and patrol virus-hit areas. A drone-based on the BDS can cover a spraying area of 5,000 square meters during a single mission and get to places beyond the reach of many other kinds of disinfection vehicles. In Ruichang, in east China's Jiangxi province, police are using BDS-based drones to patrol crowded places to prevent significant gathering in groups.

Through the BDS terminals, the Ministry of Transport sent epidemic prevention and control as well as transportation service information to more than 6 million vehicles. It provided information services for the transportation of emergency materials to the most-hit areas.

China Post Group Co., Ltd. installed 5,000 BDS terminals on its vehicles and ensured timely delivery of epidemic prevention materials through the accurate positioning information.

In addition, information products based on the BDS have been developed to locate patients confirmed to be infected with the virus and release their movement information to the public.