NEBRASKA: These fireball-dropping drones are on the frontlines of wildfire prevention
Drone Amplified, a Nebraska-based startup, is using unmanned aerial technology to improve one of the oldest and most-effective methods of preventing wildfires: prescribed burns. This technique refers to the controlled application of fire by a team of experts to reduce hazardous fuel in areas prone to wildfires. The drones carry so-called “dragon eggs,” or fireballs that ignite when they land on the ground. The company was started by two University of Nebraska-Lincoln engineering professors and was awarded a grant totaling $1 million for R&D from the NSF and Nebraska Department of Economic Development.
The drones allow firefighters to work at a distance from flames, according to Carrick Detweiler, founder and CEO of Drone Amplified, and in areas that are difficult to reach due to terrain or visibility. Moreover, the firefighting technology can be used, “when it’s dark, when it’s smokey, and when other airplanes can’t be out there.”
The drones, which are controlled by an app, can also allow the fire-starting balls to be dropped in very specific locations. Precision is a critical element when conducting prescribed burns, because it is crucial for preventing fire escapes.
While Drone Amplified is already being used by the US Forest Service and other federal agencies, Detweiler said he hopes to see the technology on the back of every firefighter’s truck in the future.