The United Nations has revealed plans to use Smart drones to combat Locust swarm in East Africa. The Smart drones will be equipped with mapping sensors and atomizers to spray pesticides on desert locust ravaging crops in the East Africa Region.
Locust swarm has been a pest depleting agricultural productivity in Africa. Countries like Kenya, Ethiopia, Uganda, Somalia, Sudan, Djibouti, and Eritrea are most affected by the pest.
The authorities have tried several means to combat locust prevalence in East Africa. The region has tried using airplanes to release pesticides to control the locust population by aerial spraying.
However, this method has proved abortive and beyond local capacity. It is, therefore, on this note that the United Nations is seeking to introduce Smart drones to combat the pest.
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Keith Cressman, the Senior Locust Forecasting Officer, UN Food and Agriculture, noted that the smart drones prototypes were developed to test and detect swarms. The drones will make use of a special sensor that can adapt to the speed and height of the pest. It will also be able to adapt to the pace at which locust flies.
Locusts have devoured over tens of thousands of hectares; thus, we are hopeful that the Smart drones will be able to curb locust growth. Although smart drones will gain this knowledge, Cressman noted that the outcome cannot be guaranteed as drones still have to adjust to heights of locust flies.
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