Drone to kill mosquitoes Photo Credit: Representative Image Several people have died and a large number got afflicted with mosquito-borne diseases including dengue and chikungunya in the city this year.

Key Highlights KMC procures unmanned vehicle to search and kill mosquitoes

The unmanned vehicle has been named 'Vinash'

Drone has a robotic arm to collect water samples from the ground

Kolkata: Junking traditional methods of tackling vector born diseases, the Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) will now drone to kill mosquitoes. The civic body feels the high-tech 'weaponry' will give it an edge in tackling the menace of dengue, chikungunya and malaria.

The KMC officials say that the drone will search and kill mosquito larvae responsible for the breeding of mosquitoes.

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According to IANS report, the Kolkata civic body recently procured the unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) that can fly up to a height of 20-storey building. The drone is also fitted with a Global Positioning System (GPS).

According to KMC's deputy mayor Atin Ghosh, the drone, which is named Vinash, will take photos of places that are inaccessible to municipal workers engaged in mosquito control.

Launching the high-tech drone, the mayor said that UAV is capable of collecting the samples from ground and water with its robotic arm.

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"After testing the samples if we find any of these inaccessible areas are breeding grounds of mosquitoes, we will use it to spray insecticides and kill the mosquitoes," the report quoted Ghosh as saying.

How the drone works

A pesticide tank will be attached to the unmanned vehicle to spray on areas afflicted with mosquito larvae. The drone also has a hooter that will make a sound to alert people whenever the drone sprays the pesticides.

Scores of people have died in the city due to vector born diseases including dengue and chikungunya. With this new gadgets, the Kolkata civic body hopes for a solution to long-standing mosquito menace in various parts of the city.

A study in May this year claimed that a fungus genetically modified to produce spider toxin can rapidly kill over 99 per cent of the mosquitoes that spread malaria. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), malaria affects hundreds of millions of people around the world, killing more than 400,000 annually.