Two of the mosquito-spraying drones hovering over a Brevard County neighborhood. Courtesy, Joseph Faella, Brevard County Mosquito Control
Swarming over the salt marshes of Merritt Island, drones the size of golf carts were quite the sight for shocked motorists and residents earlier this month – the latest piece in Brevard County’s plan to combat disease-spreading mosquitoes. It sounds like something out of a sci-fi movie, but down here in Florida, where the cutting edge of technology meets the swamp and sea, anything is possible – and necessary! The county currently owns four of these drones, which fly out over nesting grounds and drop loads of Bacillus thuringiensis israelensis (Bti), a soil bacteria harmless to humans and toxic to mosquito larvae, to keep populations down.
Each operation is run out of a van, where staff have monitoring equipment to ensure a safe flight for the newest members of the team. After smaller inspection drones find a mosquito population, the treatment drones take over. The “pilot” gets up on a lift for line of sight throughout the operation while our robot friends get to work. Two treatment drones operate at once, and have payloads of 227 pounds, enough Bti to kill plenty of pesky mosquitos before they mature. Not only does this method increase the county’s bang for their buck, it also reduces the need for chemical spraying, which can have more adverse effects.
The drone is operated by a pilot on an elevated lift to maintain line-of-sight operation. Courtesy, Joseph Faella, Brevard County Mosquito Control
The program, built by aerial operations superintendent Jonathan Koagel and championed by Brevard Mosquito Control Director Joseph Faella, is a response to a rise in mosquito-borne dengue fever across southern Florida. At least 35 of the state’s 62 dengue cases in 2025 were in Brevard. The illness poses a serious threat to pregnant women, infants, the elderly, and any other at-risk populations.
While Brevard County works double time to keep these insects at bay, there are also things we can do to help on the homefront. Generally, any standing water is a prime breeding ground for mosquitoes, so experts recommend throwing out any old tires, drilling holes in trash cans to ensure proper drainage, and filling tree rot holes with sand or concrete. They also advise standard maintenance of drains, ditches, and culverts to ensure a healthy flow of water, and the same with backyard pools and plastic wading pools. Beyond this, wearing long-sleeved shirts and pants – loose-fitting, so the mosquitos can’t bite through – and an insect repellent should mostly do the trick. Also, avoid being outside at dawn, dusk, and early evening when mosquitos are most active.
Anyone interested in learning more can check the Brevard County Mosquito Control website, or the mosquito-borne diseases page from the University of Florida’s Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences. Let’s stay safe out there!
See you on the trail,
Lisa
LMA Newsletter of 4-13-26
