Current Technology
What is a wildfire and what are its effects?
A wildfire is a large, uncontrolled fire that spreads quickly over dry plants and releases harmful gases. In 2023, there were 56,580 wildfires in the U.S., and smoke from these fires is linked to nearly 16,000 deaths each year. Wildfires damage the environment by destroying plants and habitats, causing soil erosion and reducing air quality. The smoke contains dangerous substances like particulate matter and carbon monoxide, which can harm the lungs, heart, and brain. Wildfires also contribute to climate change by releasing large amounts of carbon dioxide. In 2022, wildfires released 5.3 billion tons of carbon dioxide and other gases. Each year, wildfires cost about $394 billion and destroy $15.5 billion worth of property.
Current methods to manage wildfires include prevention, early detection, suppression and post-fire restoration. Fighting wildfires requires large amounts of water and fire retardant, often dropped from planes and helicopters. Increasingly, firefighting drones are being used to help detect fires and support firefighting efforts. These drones use high-resolution cameras and thermal imaging to spot hotspots and track fire behavior in real time. Some drones also create maps to help firefighters plan their actions, while others can drop water or fire retardant directly onto the fire. There are two main types of drones used in firefighting:
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UAV Firefighting Drone: This drone uses bombs to release oxygen and has a small water load (up to 15 kg) to fight fires. It can stay in the air for about 45 minutes, but its limited capacity is a drawback.
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Search and Rescue Drone (JOUAV CW-30E VTOL): Equipped with thermal cameras, this drone can locate hotspots. It has a flight time of up to 6 hours, can carry 8 kg, and operates in temperatures from 20°C to 50°C.
UAV Fighting Drone
Search and Rescue Drone
What are the limitations of these solutions?
Firefighting drones have benefits like reaching dangerous areas, reducing risks to people, providing real-time data, and improving efficiency. However, their limited carrying capacity and battery life need to be improved to help control wildfires better. Also, using water or foam isn't ideal because drones can only carry so much, it is not always easy to refill them with water in the field and it weighs the drone down.
