Perth Voice Interactive

A PILOTLESS pilot project using drones to eradicate mosquitos has proven so effective Bayswater council is looking to rent out its bots to other mozzy-ridden municipalities.

For the past 18 months Bayswater has used drones to map out terrain and target mosquitoes in hard-to-reach marshy or overgrown areas (“Bots v bugs,” Voice, March 26, 2022).

Word about its success spread after a presentation at the 76th Environmental Health Australia WA state conference in April, and it’s drawn interest from other councils and government departments wanting a drone-for-hire arrangement to take care of their own mozzies.

Bayswater staff have penned a report advising councillors of “potential additional revenue”, along with helping the wider mosquito control efforts. 

“The City has a designated Mosquito Control Unit with officers that are recognised as leaders in mosquito control and are regularly approached for advice and assistance,” the report beams.

But even when their local populations are killed off, mosquitoes get carried in on the breeze from neighbouring councils.

The report advises: “If the City is engaged by neighbouring local governments to treat their difficult to access areas, the City will not only generate additional income, but also help to reduce the impact of mosquitoes on its residents.”

There’d be an initial outlay of about $700,000 to cover the extra gear and workers to beef up the Mosquito Control Unit so it can be hired out.

But it’s expected to start turning a profit before long, though the details are hidden in a confidential business case.

At the October 31 meeting deputy mayor Elli Petersen-Pik said “mosquitoes are a major nuisance for residents all over the City you know; Maylands, Baywater, Morley. I personally received complaints from everywhere.”

He said the rental scheme, “is in our interest… not alone because of the revenue-making opportunity but also to make sure that we are minimising the impact of mosquitoes getting to our areas and impacting our residents.”

Cr Michelle Sutherland said, “we’ll make some money, which is also a good thing, but for residents down in Maylands, particularly around this area, this is a good thing and hopefully we get less mosquitoes in the near future”.

Councillors unanimously approved a new fee for the service, coming in at about $500 an hour for equipment and labour hire, the first step to getting the mosquito-busting business off the ground.

by DAVID BELL