Researchers at the University of California-Merced have developed a drone to sniff out a dangerous fungus in California, according to New Scientist.
The Coccidioides fungus, which is estimated to affect 150,000 people a year, originates in desert soil in both Mexico and the Southwest U.S. and can get carried by the wind.
Inhaling a spore can cause pneumonia or valley fever, a respiratory infection that can cause chest pains, coughing and fever, among other symptoms.
The researchers' drone can sift through the air and forewarn controllers about high levels of the fungus in the air. It reaches heights of about 80 meters and then drops a pump that inhales 20 liters of air.
"We want to be able to answer the question of when it is uplifted into the atmosphere, by what means the fungal spores travel, and at what point they may interact with humans," said team member Brendan Smith.
The California Department of Public Health advises that those who are in danger areas avoid breathing in where there are clouds of dirt and dust.
The fungal infection usually goes away on it's own, but if symptoms occur, medical help should be sought out immediately.
