Alex Toussaint and Clovis Piedallu have created a 40-gram autonomous drone that detects and eliminates mosquitoes in flight using their acoustic signature.
The quadrotor drone, named Tornyol, spots mosquitoes by their sound signature and eliminates them with its propellers. It spares bees and other pollinators whose wingbeats differ.
The device includes an ultrasonic sonar and algorithms to patrol and protect a perimeter autonomously. It is available for pre-order.
The founders received a $28,600 grant and joined the Y Combinator accelerator. Monthly rental is offered at $50 for early customers, while purchase costs $1,100.
Mosquitoes cause more than 700,000 deaths annually worldwide by transmitting diseases such as malaria and dengue.