Drones Being Used for Mosquito Control

   Drones Being Used for   

       Mosquito Control

M.A. Dworkin

     The Planet - Drones are being utilized in countries around the world to manage mosquito populations, to reduce the risk of deadly mosquito borne illnesses such as Malaria, West Nile Virus, Zika virus, Chikungunya, Dengue Fever and Yellow Fever. 

     Mosquito-borne diseases kill around 700,000 people every year. It is estimated that 60 billion Homo sapiens have been killed by these diseases since man first evolved - an estimation of half the human beings to ever live. 

     Recently, Japan’s SORA Technologies has been impressing local governments with their system of drone-based mosquito eradication. 

     The East African country Kenya sees more than 5 million malaria cases per year and 12,000 deaths from the disease. It has been an insurmountable impediment to child survival and economic growth for generations in the Republic which has a population of 52 million.

     “I was shocked at how many children still die from malaria, which can be prevented and cured,” said SORA Technology co-founder and CEO Yosuke Kaneko. “We thought that if we could add AI and aerial monitoring into the mix, we could end the cycle. Drones allow us to access areas that health personnel have difficulty reaching in a safe, timely manner,  and with the accuracy of the drones, it does make a real difference.”

     The SORA operators dispatch the drones out to scan areas like riverbanks and fields on the lookout for standing water where mosquitos lay their eggs. When an infestation is found, the drone descends to drop a larvicide agent, ending the potential outbreak before it breaks out.

     The technology offers advantages such as improved precision, cost-effectiveness, reduced human exposure to dangerous environments, and minimized environmental impact, making it a valuable tool in Integrated Mosquito Management (IMM) programs. Precise applications and the use of specialized biodegradable products minimize the dispersal of chemicals into unintended areas and reduce overall environmental footprint. Also, drones equipped with high-definition cameras and GPS technology enable detailed data collection, leading to more strategic and informed control efforts.

     “Drones offer many benefits like a zero footprint on marshes and sensitive lands, smaller and more precise treatments, improved irrigation monitoring, and increased detection of mosquito larvae,” said a spokesperson for the Orange County (CA) Mosquito and Vector Control District. 

     The District uses the Precision Vision 35 drone manufactured by Leading Edge Aerial Technologies for mosquito treatments, and the DJI Inspire 2 Drone for surveillance. The drones are used to apply either granule bait or liquid larvicide.

     Before using drones, technicians engaged in the cumbersome and dangerous process of going into marshes and suspect areas and spraying with a backpack blower. Helicopters are also used to make the applications. 

     “You can imagine how inefficient that is, how dangerous it is for the technicians,” said Leading Edge President and CEO Bill Reynolds. “We excel in the sense that the unmanned aircraft are quiet. People don’t have helicopters flying over their houses to make the applications. The drone is also 12 times faster than conventional methods.”

     The EPA approved chemicals activate bacteria in the mosquito’s gut, eliminating larvae when they’re in the water.        

     In countries like Ghana, Kenya, Japan, Poland, the U.S. states of California and Florida, along with dozens of other countries around the world, it’s now the mosquitos who fear the sound of buzzing - from drones built to detect and destroy them.