A digital navigation chart displays the day’s dispersal zones for one of the twin‑turboprop aircraft—modified with onboard fly container cooling systems and external dispersal chutes—based at the South Texas International Airport in Edinburg, Texas, on July 2, 2026. Pilots and dispersal technicians take advantage of calm early‑morning weather as they depart for the mission. Once on station, the aircraft follows GPS‑guided north–south or east–west grids at approximately 6,500 feet, ensuring broad, even coverage over target areas near the Mexico border. As the pilot approaches the first drop zone, he signals the Dispersing Technician to prepare for release. On cue, the technician activates the aircraft’s dispersal systems, engaging a motorized auger that turns steadily to maintain a controlled release rate while the autopilot flies the preprogrammed pattern. After completing each grid, crews land to refuel before returning to their base of operations.
The sterile fly program, built on decades of multinational cooperation, uses continuous aerial release to halt the spread of New World Screwworm by overwhelming wild populations with sterile males. With multi agency coordination—from CBP inspections to USDA documentation, facility processing, Texas National Guard, and specialized aviation support—the operation demonstrates an intensive, international effort to protect livestock, wildlife, and communities across the region.
Videos are at the Defense Visual Information Distribution System (DVIDS) https://www.dvidshub.net/feature/NewWorldScrewworm
Photos are at DVIDS and the USDA APHIS Flickr Collection https://www.flickr.com/photos/usdagov/collections/72157625204032244/
USDA Media by Lance Cheung. Attribution appreciated.
| Date Taken: | 07.02.2026 |
| Date Posted: | 08.14.2026 14:16 |
| Photo ID: | 9869864 |
| VIRIN: | 260702-P-RD001-7663 |
| Resolution: | 5172x3448 |
| Size: | 5.03 MB |
| Location: | EDINBURG, TEXAS, US |
| Web Views: | 3 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, New World Screwworm Sterile Fly Aerial Dispersal [Image 36 of 36], by Lance Cheung, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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