Andhra to deploy AI-powered mosquito surveillance, control system

Andhra Pradesh government is launching an AI-driven pilot project—Smart Mosquito Surveillance System (SMoSS)—to monitor and control mosquito populations with precision.

Unveiled by the Municipal Administration and Urban Development (MAUD) Department, SMoSS will combine Artificial Intelligence, Internet of Things (IoT) sensors, and drones to track mosquito species, density, and gender in real time. The smart system will issue automated alerts to municipal teams, enabling targeted spraying operations and replacing outdated manual methods previously deemed ineffective.

The pilot project will kick off at 66 locations across six urban centers, including:

• Vijayawada (28 sites)

• Visakhapatnam (16)

• Nellore (7)

• Rajamahendravaram (5)

• Kakinada (4)

• Kurnool (6)

These cities will serve as the testbed for what could become a model for nationwide mosquito control.

According to officials, drones will not only speed up spraying operations but also cut down on chemical usage and operational costs. Meanwhile, IoT sensors will feed live data—including mosquito density and local weather conditions—into a centralized dashboard. This will eliminate the need for "blind spraying" and improve real-time response to disease outbreaks.

To ensure accountability, payments to private agencies managing the operations will be linked to performance, said MAUD principal secretary S Suresh Kumar and director P Sampath Kumar.

Health infrastructure is also being looped into the system. Hospitals will submit daily reports of dengue, malaria, and chikungunya cases, helping authorities identify hotspots and intensify fogging and larvicidal treatments where needed.

Public complaints will be monitored through the Vector Control and Puramitra apps, ensuring that citizens remain active stakeholders in this high-tech health initiative.

With disease season looming, Andhra Pradesh is betting on smart tech to stay a step ahead of the mosquito menace.