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Over the past four years, Joe Elling along with other technicians have been leading the way for drone surveillance and treatment. With the help of drone technology, Mosquito treatment has never been faster.
Sites are located past farmland, or heavily wooded areas. Without treatment drones, a technician would have to travel by foot to these sites.
Oftentimes, technicians are equipped with heavy larvicide blower-backpacks.
Thanks to drone technology, An MMCD treatment drone can cover multiple acres of land in a few minutes!
Technology
What started with one PV22 drone has expanded into modified Agras T10 and T30 drones. Each drone has a container that is filled with larvicide, which then goes out to a worksite.
The average size of a site is one to two acres. The drone's software determines the amount of larvicide needed to treat a site. The drone is launched manually, however, much of its operation is done automatically.
Routes are usually pre-programmed, but sometimes routes are drawn by hand. The drone will fly in the direction that was programmed.
Within a programmed route, there are programmed barriers. Allowing the drone to conduct treatment only within a site without breaching the treatment zone. Additionally, its advanced monitoring allows sensors to track and avoid obstacles.
Technicians
Max and Cheng begin their day by planning out routes for the day, drive out to the locations with batteries in check, and monitor the drone operation. Making sure that treatment is being done according to plan.
Sam, Chris, and Charlie make sure that there are enough batteries for the day, bringing six of them with. Typically, they can treat as many as 13 sites.
The video above walks you through MMCD’s drone program and the technicians who work for it.
Credits
PRODUCED BY: Martin Hendrickson, MMCD Public Affairs Assistant
FEATURING: Joe Elling Field Operations Supervisor Plymouth, Max Gudmunsen and Cheng Yang MMCD Drone Technicians Plymouth, Charlie Guenther MMCD Field Operations Supervisor Maple Grove, and Chris Brown and Sam Burmeister, MMCD Drone Technicians Maple Grove.
