Winnipeg’s Drone Strike Against Mosquitoes

The city of Winnipeg in Canada, looking for new ways to control the buzzing mosquito population, has turned to the sky. A $10,000 pilot project using drones for mosquito control is about to take off. The goal? To target hard-to-reach mosquito breeding grounds on six city golf courses.

This innovative project will employ a one-meter diameter drone, handled by the pros from Elie-based company ROGA Drone. The drone's task will be to drop larvicide on golf courses across the city, taking a fresh approach to the battle against mosquitoes.

Superintendent of the Insect Control Branch, David Wade, explains the rationale behind the project. “The purpose of the pilot project is to determine the effectiveness and efficiency of using drones in our mosquito larviciding program. They have a lower carbon footprint, they're much more maneuverable and the big advantage over helicopters in that they can operate at night and be less disruptive at the golf courses specifically so we can do it when the golf courses are closed and not have to close down the golf course to do the larviciding program.”

Depending on the weather, drones will soon be buzzing over six different golf courses in the city, including Kildonan Park Golf Course and Windsor Park Golf Course, among others. The mission? To annihilate newly formed mosquito breeding sites.

Larviciding, a method of targeting mosquitoes before they mature and become biters, is the cornerstone of the City's insect control program. It's the most effective and eco-friendly way to keep the mosquito population under control.

The purpose of the project isn't just to control mosquito populations. “This is a starting point for using the drone and then we'll go from there and see if there are other sites that we'd like to target as well,” says Wade. The project aims to explore the possibilities of drone usage, eyeing efficiency, environmental impact, and cost-effectiveness.

If the pilot proves successful, drones could become a common sight in the city's skies. The drone program may even expand to cover all golf courses in Winnipeg, provided private courses are cooperative. According to the Winnipeg Sun, The city is also exploring opportunities to target areas where helicopters are restricted due to hydro lines and traffic.

“The pilot project is an exciting opportunity to test an innovative larviciding method that could improve the efficiency and effectiveness of our mosquito control program,” Wade concludes. “We're hoping that the drone, in combination with our other efforts, will allow us to larvicide more effectively so that we can minimize the amount of adult nuisance mosquitos.”

In the fight against the mosquito menace, it seems that Winnipeg is ready to explore all avenues – even those in the sky.

Photos courtesy of Winnipeg Sun.