The buzz around drones and unmanned aerial vehicles (“UAVs”) is somewhat reminiscent of that which surrounded “very light jets” or VLJ’s some years back. VLJS are small corporate sized jets that were novel for their engine technology – some engines could be held in the hands of one person. Some opponents (too strong a word, perhaps) thought that the VLJs would be so easy to purchase that they would black out the sky like mosquitos.  An economic downturn in 2008 blunted the VLJ market.

The foregoing is an inartful way of introducing this interesting story:

The Florida Keys agency charged with keeping the island chain’s mosquito swarms at bay might become the nation’s first to use drones to spot remote breeding grounds as part of efforts to eradicate the insect.

“If you try to get across the small islands it’s back country, it’s jungle,” said Michael Doyle, executive director of the Florida Keys Mosquito Control District, who added the drones wouldn’t replace boots on the ground, but would help turn eradication efforts into “smart bombing.”

Makes sense.  Heck, some UAVs are nearly the size of mosquitos.