Florida mulls drone war on the mosquito
Wednesday, August 14, 2013 - 04:00
in Biology & Nature
(Phys.org) —Drones are often associated with war and running down criminals, but this week drones for another purpose have made news. Florida is about to test how drones will do in tracking down mosquitoes. The Florida Keys Mosquito Control District, in its ongoing mission to make the job of killing mosquitos more efficient, is exploring unmanned aerial vehicles equipped with infrared cameras as one option for mosquito control. The goal is not to use drones to fight the insects but to use the UAVs to spot shallow-water pools where mosquitoes breed, up and down the Keys. Once the pools are found, ground action would begin, with attacks on these pests at the larval stage with larvicides.