Carbon Management

Autonomous drone swarms for wildfire suppression

THE PROBLEM

Wildfires are escalating in frequency and severity, driven by climate change and human activities. In 2023 , wildfire suppression costs reached $1.2 billion CAD in British Columbia and Alberta, and $4.5 billion CAD in the U.S. Traditional firefighting methods, reliant on manned aircraft and ground crews, struggle with accessibility, hazardous conditions, and slow response times, allowing fires to spread further and cause higher environmental, economic, and human tolls. Additionally, wildfires contribute massively to greenhouse gas emissions, worsening climate change. This pressing challenge calls for more rapid, precise, and effective wildfire management strategies to mitigate both the immediate and long-term impacts of uncontrolled burns.

THE SOLUTION

Wildfire suppression through autonomous drone swarms to detect, map, and battle fires with precision and speed. 

CICE’s funding will support FireSwarm Solutions’ deployment of long-endurance, heavy-lift autonomous drone swarms to detect, map, and suppress wildfires with unmatched speed and precision. With an unparalleled 350kg load capacity, this system autonomously detects hotspots, executes precise water drops, and delivers real-time data to optimize suppression, even in remote or nighttime operations.

Initial projections indicate a 30% reduction in burned area, potentially saving up to 3,900 tons of CO2 emissions annually in high-risk regions. By significantly reducing fire spread and enabling rapid deployment, FireSwarm’s technology offers a scalable, efficient solution for modern wildfire management. 

PROJECT STATUS
Active
PROJECT CATEGORY
Carbon Management
FUNDING RECIPIENT
FireSwarm Solutions
CICE FUNDING AMOUNT
$500,000
PROJECT VALUE
$1,961,869
  • "​​This project is vital for addressing the escalating threat of wildfires with innovative, effective solutions. By supporting FireSwarm Solutions Inc and our partner, Data Blanket, The BC Centre for Innovation & Clean Tech (CICE) is enabling us to revolutionize wildfire and forest management through autonomous drone swarms that detect, map, and suppress fires with precision and speed. Their support is accelerating the development of this transformative technology, which will allow us to support the wildland fire industry to protect lives, communities, and ecosystems.​​ "
    Alex Deslauriers, CEO of FireSwarm Solutions DISCOVER FIRESWARM SOLUTIONS