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USF professor using drones to fight mosquitoes in Uganda

Associate professor Benjamin Jacob said his goal is to use this technology to save lives.

TAMPA, Fla. — An associate professor from the University of South Florida is using drone technology to try and combat malaria and other potentially deadly diseases.

Associate Professor Benjamin Jacob utilizes drones and a smartphone app during his work.

“I work with artificial intelligence as well as machine learning algorithms,” said Jacob.

Jacob said his app and drones allow him to identify locations of mosquito breeding habitats.

“I am able to now localize where these habitats are without having to send out ground survey teams,” said Jacob.

Once they pinpoint those locations, they are able to go in and treat those areas using drones.

“We are trying to treat the same day we map," he said. 

Jacob said the goal is to treat the mosquitoes when they are in their larval stage within the habitat.

“Hence you don’t have the emergence of the adult female which is the one that actually inoculates and kills you,” he explained.

Jacob said his work has been successful so far in Uganda.

“We are lowering disease and in Uganda, that means lowering deaths,” he said.

He has been teaching locals how to use the technology so the work can continue in the future.

“We are seeing that we are able to now stop transmission which is fantastic for a disease like malaria,” he said.

His goal is to continue traveling and using his technology in other places around the world.

“There are many areas of the world that are stricken with multiple diseases,” said Jacob. 

He's planning to leave Uganda in about three weeks.

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