Fire Tech Brief: 4 Things to Know about Public Safety Drone Swarms

Drone aerial light shows are a growing trend, but this is also an indicator that drone swarm technology is quickly advancing to a stage where it will be able to have emergency service applications. Currently there are companies and universities that are leveraging the processing power of artificial intelligence to develop products to help with search and rescue, wildland firefighting, and even disaster damage assessment and recovery documentation. As this technology matures, the operational picture will quickly evolve and make innovative solutions feasible.

A whole new response matrix 

Imagine a world where a fleet of drones can deploy to a wildfire as it starts, eventually without human interaction and stopping fires before they have the chance to grow and endanger people or property. Providing real-time 3D mapping with video and thermal imaging overlays.

Another use will provide high-speed reconnaissance for search and rescue missions, able to search acres at a time. Eventually, the technology will be able to find a lost person, deliver supplies, and help guide them back to rescuers or safety.

Other proposed uses include being able to clear entire neighborhoods after a major natural disaster in hours instead of days. With drone swarms, these dreams can quickly become a reality.

Coordinating drone swarms 

In an age where fire department drones are starting to gain traction, the idea of having a fleet of drones may still seem like science fiction, however, there are some brilliant minds already starting to figure out how multiple coordinated drones could improve efficiency and handle situations where it may not be safe enough for a piloted aircraft to fly.

There are three general intergrations being used to develop complex control systems that can coordinate thousands of drones: centralized, decentralized (semi-autonomous), and decentralized (fully autonomous). The latter still has several hurdles through the Federal Aviation Administration before they could become a reality.

As drone technology improves to include enhanced obstacle avoidance and multiple sensor integrations, these drones can understand where they are in relation to the world around them, the task they have been given, and more importantly other drones. Offering the ability to simultaneously complete several objectives with minimal human interaction, drone swarms offer a new perspective on painting the operational picture.

Beyond basic drone operations

Currently there are several drone programs for wildland firefighting, including a program that recently tested a full-size autonomous Black Hawk helicopter however, drone swarms are really in their infancy.

Researchers at the University of Bristol in the United Kingdom are working with Windracer to develop a drone swarm of twin engine drones that have successfully been tested on a coordinated fire attack. The test included two aircraft that coordinated however, the researchers envisioned 20-30 drones so that continual monitoring and response can occur, even if one needs to refuel.

While physical technology is reaching the capability to support drone swarms, the true power is the new algorithms that are being developed. Path-planning, task allocation, and swarm intelligence algorithms help drones navigate complex obstacle rich environments and provide the ability for drones to adapt their use based on the mission parameters and real time data they collect.

What's next?

How long do you have to wait till you could be one of the first to get this technology? It depends on who you ask. As a convergence technology with the use of AI, there are several barriers preventing full scale adoption of this type of tech.

Legislation has failed to keep up with the emergence of AI development, machine learning, and even drone capabilities meaning, there are systems capable of autonomous operation however, they are not legal and approved for use beyond testing environments.

Beyond the legal issue, there are also ethical concerns, public perception issues, and cyber security risks that must be dealt with before you see drone swarms however, it is always good to keep your eye on what’s next because technology quickening is upon us.