Estonian hunters deploy drones to keep African swine fever from farms
Estonian hunters in Rapla County have started using drones to detect wild boar near pig farms to prevent the spread of African swine fever to domestic herds. No domestic pigs have contracted the disease this year, but over 100 infected wild boar have been found in the wild.
Five surveillance drones purchased by Estonia's Climate Ministry have been deployed, with one assigned to hunters in Rapla County. Veteran hunter Ergo Viil, with over 40 years of experience, learned to operate the drone and described it as a valuable tool for locating wild boar and planning hunts.
Equipped with thermal and zoom cameras, the drone can spot animals and identify species from the air. During a flight near Kuusiku, it detected signs of boar activity but no animals, though it spotted numerous deer feeding in grain fields.
No domestic ASF cases have been reported in Estonia this year, while more than 100 infected wild boar have been found. Gerlin Järvela, head of animal health at the Agriculture and Food Board, said authorities have strengthened biosecurity and expanded cooperation with hunters. Pig farmers can now request drone flights around their facilities to keep wild boar away.
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