Santa Clara County is turning to drones to kill mosquitoes.
The county's vector control district this week launched a new program that uses a drone to treat areas with larvicide to kill mosquito eggs.
"It only has effect on target mosquito larvae," Santa Clara County Vector Control District Manager Nayer Zahiri said. "No harm to any other insects or any other animals."
The drone will be flown in wetlands and other remote non-residential areas.
The county contracted out the company Leading Edge Aerial Technologies to target the landscapes that crews can't easily reach by foot.
"Walking in here is not advised," Zahiri said. "It’s better to use drones because it has less impact on the habitats."
In the past, vector control has used helicopters to drop the larvicide. Staff said the drones are a far more efficient way to eliminate the mosquitoes before they become adults and reduce diseases the insects carry, like West Nile virus.
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"The drone uses GPS guidance to line up its swaths," drone pilot Joseph Daviss said. "Drones do a very good job of getting into and out of areas where you wouldn’t want to necessarily send a manned aircraft."
All of the rain received this year means more standing water, where mosquitoes lay their eggs. Right now is when the insects start looking for their hatch spots.
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The county is asking the public to do its part by clearing out any standing water.
"It's going to be a very difficult year to control mosquitoes," Zahiri said.
