FireSwarm: Artificial Intelligence protecting against dunefires

FireSwarm: Testing Sites

The Dutch researchproject FireSwarm will develop small and independant flying robotplanes for the fire-brigade. These unmanned robotplains will be used for detecting and monitoring nature fires. Here you can see, the exciting start of this challenging project to get a ‘swarm’ of unmanned robotplanes up in the air and have them trace any reported fires. FireSwarm is a project initiated by Almende, DevLab, KITT Engineering, TU Delft, State University of Groningen, EagleVision, Fire-brigade Bergen and the Safetyregion North-Holland-North.

Little cheap motorized planes are equipped with different sensors (for carbon monoxide, temperature for example) and camera’s. The project focusses on smart image- and pattern detection techniques, with which the system itself can actually recognize and localize fires in the area.

Furthermore the challenge is to learn these little robot planes to fly in a swarm, as it is impossible to control them one by one by hand. In March 2012 the first test flights took place. During these flights the sensors were tested on their ability to recognize fires. Different objects were used like a car with the motor running, a barbecue and an open fire. As such their distinctive ability was tested.

The tests

The following sensors were tested:

• Normal camera (with a IR block filter)
• NIR camera (camera with a IR pass filter)
• Thermopile array (like in a thermal imaging camera, but low resolution)
• PIR (like a movement sensor, very cheap)
• Microwave sensor (sends microwaves and picks up the reflections)
• Gas sensor (for example carbon monoxide)
• Smoke sensor

During these test flights the UAV flew at various heights, to measure the influence of the height on detecting fires. The FireSwarm project is subsidized by the Dutch Agency on Innovation Social Security. Do you want to know more? Contact us for more information. You can also visit the Almende website for more information.