It’s science, not fiction: high-tech drones may soon be fighting bushfires in Australia

By Marta Yebra, Professor of Environmental Engineering, Australian National University
Iain Guilliard, Research Fellow, School of Engineering., Australian National University
Nicholas Wilson, Research Fellow, Fenner School of Environment and Society, Australian National University
Robert Mahony, Professor of System Theory and Robotics, Australian National University

Picture this. It’s a summer evening in Australia. A dry lightning storm is about to sweep across remote, tinder-dry bushland. The next day is forecast to be hot and windy. A lightning strike tonight could spark a fire that grows into a catastrophic blaze tomorrow.

Fire authorities deploy drones to chase the storm. The drones detect spots where lightning strikes have ignited the bush – perhaps smouldering tree roots, or smoke pouring from a tree hollow. The drones stay aloft throughout the night, identifying new ignitions and monitoring those that progress to small fires.

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