A harsh truth: as bad as wildfires have gotten in North America in recent years, things are only going to get worse. Climate change continues to accelerate the issue, putting people, property, nature and animals at risk.
Drones have been firmly in the fray for over a decade now, and the Fire Apparatus Manufacturers Association expects its fleet to grow to 30,000 in the following year. Although effective, however, these systems certainly have their limitations.
“As of now, the military drones used by those fighting wildfires are high-altitude aircraft that fly high above the trees,” said Carnegie Mellon University doctoral student Andrew Jong. notes. “They can’t fly low because they can’t see through the smoke. We want to fly right over the trees or even under the canopy.”
Researchers at CMU’s Robotics Institute are building drones capable of navigating through smoke, providing firefighters with maps and escape routes while drawing attention to danger zones.
Retired firefighter Josh Wilkins, who is working with investigators on the project, notes wistfully: “I helped bury too many people who died because of a lack of reliable information.” He adds that firefighters often receive 12 hours of information when they start their eight-hour shifts. By that point, the information is outdated and poses a very real risk to first responders.
The project is based on research for CMU’s DARPA Subterranean Challenge, which revolves around underground navigation for mine rescue. Forestry drones use pathfinding to determine optimal trajectories with obstructed views. The goal is to effectively construct a 3D “digital twin” of the affected area as quickly as possible.
Wilkins notes, however, that his former colleagues may be reluctant to embrace new technologies. “There’s always resistance, especially in the fire service,” explains the second-generation firefighter. “But once we show them the safety factors that are built into these systems and the good data that we can collect with the drones, I think we’ll win them over.”
