Gangnam-gu, Seoul's First to Implement 'Drone Disinfection'

Gangnam-gu (District Mayor Jo Seong-myeong) will officially begin drone disinfection starting with the launch ceremony held at Neulbeot Neighborhood Park on the 30th. This is the first time among Seoul's autonomous districts to use drones for disinfection.

The district introduced drones to effectively disinfect areas that are difficult for vehicles and people to access. Drones enable rapid targeted disinfection in extensive blind spots such as rivers, parks, and steep hiking trails. They are also effective in controlling areas that require prevention of waterborne infectious diseases caused by heavy rains and regions affected by avian influenza (AI).

In March, the district acquired one disinfection drone (model: DJI T40 / dimensions: 1590×1930×720 mm) and began pilot operations from April 4th at locations including Samsung Haemaji Park. Going forward, the district plans to spray disinfectants twice a week on rivers and parks until October. The disinfectants used are eco-friendly insecticides aimed at protecting residents' health and the ecosystem. For larval control, microbial insecticides utilizing soil microorganisms selectively kill mosquito and midge larvae, while natural substance-based insecticides are used for adult insect control.

Additionally, the district operates 770 insect-attracting insecticides, 24 mosquito traps, and 14 insect repellent sprayers to ensure thorough disinfection. To further promote environmental protection and carbon neutrality, solar-powered insect-attracting insecticides will be additionally installed. As a new project this year, since January, the health center's disinfection task force has been visiting 74 apartment complexes with over 300 households to provide mosquito larva eradication consulting. Septic tanks in houses with fewer than 300 households are cleaned and immediately disinfected in a one-stop process, and larvicides are distributed to individual houses. Furthermore, a dedicated disinfection call center is operated to respond promptly to disinfection-related complaints.

Jo Seong-myeong, Mayor of Gangnam-gu, stated, “Due to environmental factors such as climate change and an increase in overseas arrivals, the influx of foreign pests has risen, making rapid and efficient disinfection in blind spots unreachable by human hands more important.” He added, “By proactively disinfecting parks, rivers, and other areas using drones, we aim to reduce inconvenience for residents and create a safe Gangnam free from mosquito-borne infectious diseases.”