149 - Brunswick County, NC UAS Mosquito Control Operations

Brunswick County Mosquito Control has developed a specific workflow to make UAS mosquito treatment operations on dredge disposal sites successful. Traditionally, Brunswick County used backpack sprayers to larvicide these areas, along with a combination of water management strategies and source reduction projects to control salt marsh mosquitoes. These control methods are limited because dredge material “mud” within these areas can be deep and physically unable to support a team member or equipment. Drones provide a solution to this problem and allow for more acres to be treated.

Long before the first UAS treatment flight, a surveillance drone maps out the cell/dredged material. Water management strategies and source reduction efforts continue within these areas to remove all excess water from the site. Aerial spray polygons are developed and are inspected after rainfall events. Budget, staffing, access, environmental and seasonal conditions are key factors that determine product selection.

All UAS team members have specific tasks to keep the treatment drone in flight. Brunswick’s UAS mosquito treatment team is made up of the following: UAS pilot, chemical tech, maintenance tech and ground surveillance. The UAS pilot reviews all aerial polygons and ensures the overall safety of the operation. Chemical tech loads the drone and tracks the application. The maintenance tech changes/charges batteries, cleans the hopper and checks the drone over after every flight. Finally, ground surveillance maintains line of sight and ensures larvicide is hitting the target area.

Each treatment cycle has a lot of moving parts to make each flight a success. It is essential to have a treatment system in place. Understanding this workflow will allow for a successful treatment cycle, address the challenges to come, keep mosquito populations at a manageable level and can reduce the larvicide technician’s physical workload.