UTRGV Gets $2.2 Million to Test Drones for Screwworm Tracking
Five Texas schools share in a $105 million federal package aimed at spotting fly infestations in livestock and wildlife.
By Alexei Brooks ·
The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley will spend $2.2 million testing how drones can find New World screwworm infestations. The university is one of five Texas institutions selected by the U.S. Department of Agriculture for this two-year project.
The USDA awarded grants to 40 schools across the country in June. The total funding for the national initiative is approximately $105 million. The goal is to use drone technology to detect infestations before they spread.
Dr. Sarah Maestas, an assistant professor at UTRGV, stated that the money supports research for new tools. These tools are intended for federal and state agencies as well as producers and land managers. She said the team wants to improve surveillance and targeted response efforts.
The UTRGV team plans to start with handheld thermal imaging units. They will then move to thermal cameras mounted on drones. Maestas explained that they will evaluate vegetation associations to model where adult flies are likely to be. This data helps identify where animals might come into contact with the pests.
The USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service launched the initiative in June to slow infestations in the Southwest. Since then, officials have detected at least 110 cases. These cases have occurred mainly in livestock in Texas, New Mexico, and Arizona.
Other Texas schools receiving grants include Texas Tech, Texas A&M University, the University of Texas at Arlington, and the Texas Medical Branch at Galveston.
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