VECTRACK · Project

Satellite-Powered Mosquito Surveillance That Cuts Disease Outbreak Monitoring Costs

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Imagine trying to stop mosquito-borne diseases like West Nile Virus, but your only option is sending people out to manually check thousands of traps — that eats up 95% of your budget. VECTRACK built smart sensors and satellite mapping that do the counting and identification automatically, telling you exactly which mosquitoes are where, what species they are, and whether they're likely carrying disease. Think of it like replacing weather stations with weather satellites — except for mosquitoes. The system watches from space and on the ground so health authorities can act before outbreaks happen, not after.

By the numbers

1,317

People infected in worst EU West Nile Virus outbreak (2018)

142

Deaths from 2018 EU West Nile Virus outbreak

95%

Share of surveillance costs from manual field trap inspections

EUR 1,558,957

EU contribution to the project

Consortium partners across 3 countries

The business problem

What needed solving

Mosquito-borne diseases like West Nile Virus, Dengue, and Zika are spreading across Europe due to climate change — the 2018 WNV outbreak alone infected over 1,317 people and killed 142. Public health agencies and pest control operators spend the vast majority of their surveillance budgets on manual trap inspections, which account for 95% of total monitoring costs. This makes large-scale, continuous surveillance financially unsustainable for most regions.

The solution

What was built

VECTRACK developed an automated vector surveillance system combining satellite Earth Observation with ground-based optoelectronic sensors that remotely count and classify mosquitoes by species, sex, age, and infection potential. The system produces risk maps for targeted surveillance and was demonstrated with end-users across multiple countries.

Audience

Who needs this

Public health agencies running mosquito surveillance programsCommercial pest control companies servicing municipalitiesRegional and national disease prevention centers (ECDC member organizations)Agricultural insurers assessing vector-borne disease riskTourism boards and hotel chains in mosquito-affected regions

Business applications

Who can put this to work

Public Health & Vector Control

any

Target: Municipal or regional mosquito control agencies

If you are a public health authority spending most of your vector surveillance budget on manual trap inspections — this project developed an automated sensor network combined with satellite Earth Observation that remotely counts and classifies mosquitoes by species, sex, and infection potential. Manual field inspections represent 95% of total surveillance costs today, and VECTRACK's system can significantly reduce that by replacing physical checks with remote, automated monitoring.

Pest Control Services

SME

Target: Commercial pest control and vector management companies

If you are a pest control company servicing municipalities or agricultural clients and struggling with the cost and labor of mosquito monitoring — this project built optoelectronic ground sensors that automatically identify target mosquitoes without human visits. The system generates risk maps so you can focus treatments on high-risk zones rather than blanket spraying, making your operations more efficient and your results more measurable for clients.

Insurance & Risk Assessment

enterprise

Target: Agricultural or health insurance firms exposed to vector-borne disease risk

If you are an insurance company needing to assess disease vector risk across regions — VECTRACK developed transnational risk maps based on real-time mosquito surveillance data and satellite environmental monitoring. During the 2018 West Nile Virus outbreak in Europe, more than 1317 people were infected and 142 died. This kind of predictive mapping helps you price policies more accurately and trigger early warnings for covered regions.

Frequently asked

Quick answers

What does this system cost compared to traditional mosquito surveillance?

The project data states that manual field trap inspections represent 95% of total surveillance costs. VECTRACK's automated sensor and satellite approach is designed to significantly reduce these costs by eliminating most physical inspections. Specific pricing per unit or subscription was not published in the available project data.

Can this scale to cover an entire country or region?

Yes — the system was designed as the first transnational automated vector surveillance platform, a goal long sought by WHO and ECDC. It combines satellite Earth Observation coverage with distributed ground sensor nodes, making it inherently scalable across borders. Demonstrations were conducted with end-users across at least 3 countries (Belgium, Spain, Portugal).

Who owns the technology and how can I license it?

The coordinator IRIDEON SL (Spain) leads the consortium and the project included a knowledge management and protection strategy for exploitation. VECTRACK is commercialized as a service rather than a product license. Contact the consortium through the project website for service agreements.

What mosquito-borne diseases does this cover?

The system targets mosquito vectors responsible for West Nile Virus, Dengue, Zika, Yellow Fever, and Malaria. The sensors classify mosquitoes by sex, species, age, and infection potential, so the platform adapts to whichever vector-borne disease threatens a given region.

How mature is this technology — is it ready to deploy?

VECTRACK was funded as a Fast Track to Innovation action (EIC-FTI), which targets near-market technologies. The project completed demonstrations with end-users and developed a commercialization plan. The project website (vectrack.avia-gis.com) indicates active service availability.

How does the system integrate with existing surveillance programs?

The system produces risk maps compatible with existing surveillance workflows. Ground sensor nodes can be deployed alongside or in place of traditional traps. Based on available project data, the platform was designed to complement ECDC and WHO surveillance standards rather than replace entire programs overnight.

Is there ongoing support and updates after deployment?

VECTRACK is offered as a service (SaaS model) rather than a one-time product, which typically includes ongoing updates and support. The consortium includes Avia-GIS (Belgium), a specialist in geospatial health analytics, providing continued scientific and technical backing.

Consortium

Who built it

The VECTRACK consortium is compact and commercially oriented: 4 partners across Spain, Belgium, and Portugal, with a 50% industry ratio and 2 SMEs including the coordinator IRIDEON SL. There are no universities in the consortium — instead it combines industry players with one research organization, signaling that the science was already mature and the focus was on productization and market entry. The EUR 1.56M EU contribution funded an Innovation Action under Fast Track to Innovation, which is specifically designed for near-market technologies. For a business buyer, this means the technology has moved well past the lab stage and into real-world demonstrations with paying or piloting customers.

IRIDEON SLCoordinator · ES
AVIA-GIS NVparticipant · BE
INSTITUTO NACIONAL DE SAUDE DR. RICARDO JORGEparticipant · PT
INSTITUT DE RECERCA I TECNOLOGIA AGROALIMENTARIESparticipant · ES

How to reach the team

IRIDEON SL is a Spanish SME specializing in vector surveillance technology. SciTransfer can facilitate a direct introduction to their commercial team.

Order a report on this consortium See IRIDEON SL profile →

Next steps

Talk to the team behind this work.

Want to explore how satellite-powered mosquito surveillance can reduce your monitoring costs? SciTransfer can connect you directly with the VECTRACK team and help you evaluate fit for your region.

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