US Startup Develops AI-Powered Mini Drones to Hunt Mosquitoes in Urban Areas

Engineers at Turnioul, a US-based startup supported by Y Combinator, are developing small drones equipped with artificial intelligence to drastically reduce the cost of mosquito control by a factor of 100. The concept involves deploying swarms of these miniature drones to capture and eliminate mosquitoes in urban environments, as an alternative to traditional chemical methods and more expensive, riskier mosquito control techniques.

On July 14, Alex Toussan, one of Turnioul’s founders, shared a video showcasing what he described as the company’s "first aerial kill operation." The footage displayed a small drone pursuing a moth and successfully capturing it within a monitored testing area, according to oddity central. Although the target insect was not a mosquito and the test occurred in a confined space, this event marks a significant step toward developing drones capable of identifying and eliminating insects mid-flight.

The project aims to create lightweight drones weighing no more than 40 grams. These drones utilize smartphone microphones, ultrasonic sensors, and specialized software to track and target insects. Designed to emit ultrasonic pulses and listen for their echoes through an array of microphones, the drones can theoretically distinguish mosquitoes from other insects based on the unique acoustic signature produced by mosquito wings.

Alex Toussan and Clovis Pedalo, the engineers behind Turnioul, envision deploying swarms of these small drones to eradicate mosquitoes across entire urban areas. According to the company’s projection, a group of just 10 drones could cover an area of one square kilometer and eliminate blood-sucking mosquitoes within that zone.