Dryad Networks Among 29 Global Finalists in XPRIZE Wildfire Competition With Innovative ‘Florian’ Drone Concept
2024年7月17日 - 10:01PM
ビジネスワイヤ(英語)
Dryad Networks, a pioneer in wildfire detection technology, is
proud to announce its selection as one of 29 finalists in the
XPRIZE Wildfire Competition. The company's groundbreaking ”Florian”
project, aimed at early wildfire suppression using autonomous
drones, has earned it a spot in the final round of this prestigious
competition.
Building upon the success of their Silvanet system, a network of
solar-powered sensors that detect early signs of wildfires, Dryad
Networks is now developing Florian to combat these fires at their
earliest stages. Named after the German patron saint of
firefighters, Florian will employ drones permanently stationed in
forests, ready to swiftly and effectively extinguish fires before
they escalate.
"We are honored to be selected among organizations committed to
ending destructive wildfires," said Carsten Brinkschulte, CEO and
co-founder of Dryad Networks. "With Silvanet detecting wildfires
early, Florian will enable us to take rapid action using drones
equipped with innovative acoustic wave cannons to extinguish fires
in an environmentally responsible manner."
In collaboration with U.S.-based Sonic Fire Tech, the Florian
project is set to create a revolutionary autonomous solution. This
cutting-edge system will leverage ultra-early detection sensors to
pinpoint the precise locations of fires and dispatch drones to
extinguish them within minutes. These drones will be outfitted with
state-of-the-art infrared and bio-inspired event cameras for
navigation and fire detection, ensuring swift and accurate
response.
Dryad Networks' participation in the XPRIZE Wildfire Competition
underscores the urgent need for innovative solutions to address the
escalating threat of wildfires worldwide. As extreme wildfires
continue to cause billions of dollars in damage and wreak havoc on
fragile ecosystems, new technologies like Florian are vital for
early detection and suppression.
"Climate change is intensifying the wildfire crisis," warned
Brinkschulte. "Year after year, we witness megafires growing in
strength, frequency and destructive power. New technologies hold
the key to overcoming this crisis, but the time to act is now."
About Dryad Networks | https://www.dryad.net/
Dryad provides ultra-early detection of wildfires and health and
growth-monitoring of forests through the Silvanet solution –
solar-powered gas sensors deployed in a large-scale IoT sensor
network. Dryad aims to reduce unwanted wildfires, which cause up to
20% of global carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions and have a devastating
impact on biodiversity. By 2030, Dryad aims to prevent 3.9 million
hectares of forest from burning, preventing 1.7 billion tonnes of
CO2 emissions.
About Sonic Fire Tech
Sonic Fire Tech has developed the world’s first practical
acoustic wave fire suppression system that is portable, scalable
and powerful enough to tackle real world fire scenarios. Sonic Fire
Tech will provide devices to prevent structure fires in high-risk
areas, suppress wildfires before they have a chance to spread and
provide an alternative fire solution for commercial and residential
applications. For more information please visit
SonicFireTech.com.
About the XPRIZE Wildfire Competition
The XPRIZE Foundation, a leader in fostering technological
innovation to address global challenges, launched the Wildfire
Competition to drive advancements in wildfire detection and
management. The competition is divided into two tracks:
"Space-Based Wildfire Detection & Intelligence" and "Autonomous
Wildfire Response." The finalists for the former track were
announced at the FDIC International Conference in Indianapolis, the
world’s largest firefighter gathering, highlighting the critical
importance of innovative solutions in wildfire management.
Competing in the Autonomous Wildfire Response track
In the "Autonomous Wildfire Response" track, teams are
challenged to autonomously detect and suppress a high-risk fire in
a 1000 square kilometer, environmentally challenging area within 10
minutes, leaving any decoy fires untouched. This rapid detection
and response capability is essential for effectively managing
wildfires and minimizing their impact.
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version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240716810539/en/
Ben Jones Head of Marketing Dryad Networks benj@dryad.net