BREVARD COUNTY, Fla. — If you see a large drone flying over parts of the Space Coast, don't worry, it's nothing to be concerned about.

Brevard County Mosquito Control is flying over hard to reach areas to kill larvae. It's critical to warding off illnesses and being proactive amid a statewide malaria warning.

Workers are using a state-of-the-art drone to reach wooded areas too dense and difficult to reach by land. The goal Thursday was to treat a five-acre area to kill mosquito larvae. What would normally take a whole day is done in just five minutes.

"It's very efficient, it cuts down drastically the amount of time doing it this way, it's just astronomical," said Jonathan Koagel of Brevard County Mosquito Control.

But before they fly, they have to map out the plan. After crews test water for larvae, Koagel plots the areas to cover. The plan includes the types of mosquitoes, the amount, and what type of diseases they carry.

"The inspectors will call me and say I found this in this area, and I'll determine if it's suitable for the drone to treat," Koagel said.

There are some 40 different species of mosquitoes in Brevard County, and each can carry a different type of illness. The team monitors their habitat and even a preferred host they like to bite.

This work is especially important, as Florida has issued a statewide malaria advisory after several cases in Sarasota County.

"Once in a while, one pops up as a travel case. Normally that's the case with malaria, so we have a protocol and we know what to do," said Brevard County Mosquito Control Director Joseph Faella.

The chemicals are loaded up and delivered to the spraying site.

Koegel is a certified drone pilot, but due to the state banning the use of certain drones by government agencies, he isn't able to fly.

Instead, the county has contracted with a private drone operator to do the job under his supervision.