Autonomous Drone Integration in Prescribed Fire Operations

Abstract

With the surge in wildfire frequency and severity, the risk to firefighters, communities, and forests has escalated dramatically. Climate change and increased amounts of fuel have intensified these challenges, making wildfire management more important than ever. Prescribed burns, a controlled manner of burning land, are a crucial strategy for wildfire prevention, ecosystem management, and forest health. Nonetheless, traditional methods of implementing prescribed burns are labor-intensive, slow, and risk-laden due to human involvement. Our innovative approach leverages autonomous drone swarms to revolutionize prescribed burning methods. These advanced drones collaborate to ignite fires strategically, gather real-time data, and suppress sections of the fire as needed. By minimizing human proximity to the flames, our solution has the potential to significantly enhance operational efficiency and safety.

Authors

• Chance Buchmann Leigh High School
• Ken Takano Woodbridge High School
• Landon Campbell East High School
• Meera Bhaskar Monta Vista High School
• Ryan Modafe Saratoga High School
• Yashika Hegde Mission San Jose High School

Keywords

• UAV systems
• wildfire management