Drones are now being used as another useful gadget to help Malaysia in its fight against the dreaded disease, malaria.

Researchers based in Borneo are using drones to look over areas affected by the malaria parasite known as Plasmodium knowlesi.

For the past years, this parasite has affected macaque monkeys and humans and the toll continues to rise. According to health officials at the Malaysian state of Sabah, these parasites infect the monkeys bitten by mosquitoes, which transfer the virus to humans.

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Chris Drakeley, one of the researchers and a professor of infection and immunity at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, said once the areas are mapped, researchers will be able to figure out why the parasite is being spread from monkeys to people.

Researchers have been using a small camera-carrying drone to make the project possible. The drone is called senseFly eBee and it builds a map showing digital surface models where most of the parasites infecting humans are located.

The detailed map can be superimposed on movements of humans and the macaques. Movement patterns of both monkeys and humans will be tracked via GPS.

Some people were asked to carry GPS tracking devices while macaques wore GPS collars, Drakeley said.

The GPS data will help researchers pinpoint where humans and the monkeys will most likely intermingle. Also, the GPS data will show researchers why both humans and monkeys are drawn to the areas of interaction.

Drones will also be able to track breeding grounds of these mosquitoes. 

Tagsdrones, used in Malaysia, Track malaria, macaque monkeys, People, Plasmodium knowleski