Drone Swarms in Fire Suppression Activities: A Conceptual Framework

Elena Ausonio,Patrizia Bagnerini,Marco Ghio

doi:10.3390/drones5010017

Abstract

The recent huge technological development of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) can provide breakthrough means of fighting wildland fires. We propose an innovative forest firefighting system based on the use of a swarm of hundreds of UAVs able to generate a continuous flow of extinguishing liquid on the fire front, simulating the effect of rain. Automatic battery replacement and extinguishing liquid refill ensure the continuity of the action. We illustrate the validity of the approach in Mediterranean scrub first computing the critical water flow rate according to the main factors involved in the evolution of a fire, then estimating the number of linear meters of active fire front that can be extinguished depending on the number of drones available and the amount of extinguishing fluid carried. A fire propagation cellular automata model is also employed to study the evolution of the fire. Simulation results suggest that the proposed system can provide the flow of water required to fight low-intensity and limited extent fires or to support current forest firefighting techniques.

Highlights

Forest environments, woods and green areas constitute a natural resource for human life
We propose an innovative forest firefighting system based on the use of a swarm of hundreds of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) able to generate a continuous flow of extinguishing liquid on the fire front, simulating the effect of rain
Critical Flow Rate and Fire Front Linear Meters Arrested by Drones In Section 2, the critical flow rate critical water flow rate (CF) is computed as a function of the fire intensity I, which can be evaluated by using the flame length L f (Equations (4) and (12)) or the rate of spread RoS depending on wind speed and moisture content (Equations (13)–(15))

Summary

Introduction

Woods and green areas constitute a natural resource for human life. They are progressively risking increased impoverishment and destruction [1]. In the past few decades, there has been a countertrend to an ever-increasing abandonment of rural lands that has led to a re-colonization of many woodlands and shrublands. These richer rural landscape conditions have caused an increase of fire hazards, wildfire frequency, incidence and magnitude, and dangerous consequences involving people, infrastructure, and natural environment; as a result, the issue of forest firefighting has become increasingly important [5]

Objectives

Results

Conclusion