US boosts drone surveillance as flesh-eating screwworms spread in Texas

Key Points:

• Hundreds of US government drones, primarily Skydio X10 quadcopters equipped with thermal imaging sensors, have shifted from border surveillance to detecting New World Screwworm infestations in wild and domestic animals across South Texas and New Mexico.
• Since June, the USDA and Customs and Border Protection have conducted over 1,000 drone flights surveying more than 22,000 animals, identifying 45 confirmed screwworm cases mostly in cattle, sheep, dogs, and a goat, though it is unclear how many detections resulted directly from drone surveillance.
• The USDA employs additional surveillance methods including stationary cameras and fly traps, and is researching AI technology to enhance wound detection and inspection prioritization from drone imagery.
• To combat screwworm spread, the USDA continues using the Sterile Insect Technique by releasing millions of sterile flies weekly from facilities in Panama and Mexico, and is constructing new sterile fly production plants in South Texas and Arizona with multimillion-dollar investments.
• While screwworm currently poses a significant threat to the US livestock industry, Mexico has reported over 500 human cases in 2025-2026, indicating an accelerating infestation rate that underscores the urgency of containment efforts.