We partnered with the American Bird Conservancy to help save native Hawaiian forest birds from extinction due to avian malaria carried by invasive mosquitoes. Using the Incompatible Insect Technique (IIT), partners within the Birds, Not Mosquitoes project aim to suppress mosquito populations in critical bird habitat.

Our unique approach was to design a new payload system that works with the existing IIT deployment pods, which are specifically designed to carry Culex quinquefasciatus mosquitoes. We created a lightweight and scalable dropper that seamlessly fits into current workflows for safe transport. Our payload integrates with our software, allowing for precise, geo-located drops that are logged for documentation.

IIT is proven to be one of the safest methods for controlling mosquito populations. While IIT for Hawaiian forest birds began by using deployments via crewed aviation, that method, though effective, can be expensive and limited by aircraft availability. Our new drone-based system gives conservationists more flexibility to fight back against mosquitoes before it’s too late.

Read more on how this project is helping to save an entire ecosystem.