Is AI revolutionizing the way we combat wildfires?
Rapid action is crucial in the event of forest fires. Artificial intelligence and modern technologies should help in the future. Autonomous drones are being tested in Brandenburg, Germany.
New drone technology for fighting forest fires
Due to rising global temperatures and climate change, forest fires have been a problem in the eastern German state of Brandenburg for years. A Berlin-based company wants to use drones to help detect and fight fires in the future. Last Thursday, a drone from the "Dryad Networks" company took off for its maiden flight.
Green hope in the middle of Brandenburg
Like an oversized golf ball: this installation serves as a hangar for the AI-controlled "Silvaguard" drone. It is the first autonomous, AI-based drone system. Its developer hopes that one day it will be able to detect and extinguish new fires within minutes.
Technology measures air composition
As soon as a sensor set up in the forest detects a fire, the drone will fly to the sensor independently and analyze the situation, a company spokesperson explained. Thanks to the transmitted images of the size and location of the fire, the fire department can send the necessary vehicles straight to the fire's locations.
Solutions for an "unstoppable" problem
Forest fires have reached a point where they are "basically unstoppable," says Lindon Pronto, an expert in fighting wildfires at the European Forest Institute. New measures therefore need to be taken, both in terms of preventing and fighting fires.
Faster action increasingly important
"Fires are spreading much faster and more aggressively than in the past. That also means we have to react more quickly," Carsten Brinkschulte, CEO of the German company "Dryad," told news agency AFP during the demonstration of the technology. Development of the drone system was partly funded by the EU.
Blowing out fire with sound waves
The "Dryad" makers hope that their drone will not only be able to detect fires thanks to new technology ― but also extinguish them. Instead of using water or extinguishing powder, smoldering fires are to be extinguished with sound cannons, according to the company. The so-called sonic cannon is designed to emit low-frequency sound waves that "blow out" the fire.
First deployment outside Europe
The autonomous drone is set to be launched on the market in 2026, with an initial deployment outside Europe. "These systems still need to have the regulatory framework to be able to operate commercially," said Brinkschulte. European deployment is planned for the next few years. Until then, some technical challenges still need to be overcome.