Dryad AI drone blows out forest fires
Dryad Networks in Germany has demonstrated the first fully functional AI drone prototype for detecting, locating and monitoring wildfires. The aim is to have the drone extinguish early wildfires with an acoustic cannon.
The Silvaguard AI drone system extends Silvanet’s network of sensors for early detection of fires. The autonomous AI drone, which lives in a solar-powered pod with wireless charging, can be despatched to monitor any potential fires with optical and infrared cameras.
The European Union is co-funding the Silvaguard project with €3.8 million of European Region Development Fund (ERDF) grants and loans covered in eeNews Europe back in October 2024.
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Upon detection, a Silvaguard drone was released and autonomously navigated to the sensor location, providing real-time aerial observation to pinpoint the fire’s location and size, helping to save precious time and resources. This demonstration marks a key milestone toward the vision of autonomous wildfire suppression says the company, where Silvaguard drones ultimately will also be able to extinguish wildfires in their initial stages with high power sound waves.
“With wildfires growing more destructive each year, ultra-early detection alone may no longer be enough as the response time of traditional fire suppression methods often takes too long; we need to extend to rapid and autonomous suppression systems,” said said Carsten Brinkschulte, CEO and cofounder, Dryad Networks, above with the drone during the demonstration outside Berlin.
“Silvaguard represents a critical leap forward toward the vision of AI-powered drones extinguishing fires before they spread. This demonstration marked the first step toward a future where we can detect and extinguish fires within minutes from ignition. Dryad is in a unique position to deliver on this vision, because our Silvanet system detects fires within minutes, when the limited capabilities of a drone-based response may still have a chance to extinguish a fire.”
The wildfire sensor system is already deployed in more than 50 installations worldwide. The solar-powered gas sensors are connected via a wireless IoT mesh network. It provides real-time fire alerts. Deployments are in Lebanon, Italy, Germany, Thailand, Canada and the United States.
Dryad, which has been working on wildfire detection technology for over five years, points to the Los Angeles wildfires which are estimated to cost more than $250 billion.
Last week, Dryad announced its expansion into Australia and New Zealand.
The prototype system autonomously responds to a fire detected by Silvanet sensors, triggering a drone to fly to the location for real-time observation and situational awareness. The next phase of Silvaguard will focus on fire suppression capabilities, exploring multiple suppression technologies, including acoustic wave fire suppression.
In Phase two, the drone will undergo rigorous testing and optimization to assess the effectiveness of different suppression methods, refine drone autonomy and optimize deployment logistics.
After that, the system will be scaled for real-world deployments, integrating multi-drone coordination and AI-driven decision-making to optimize response times across large, fire-prone areas. The aim is to provide a fully autonomous, scalable wildfire suppression network, deploying fleets of drones stationed in strategic locations to provide rapid, automated wildfire response using the most effective suppression technology available.
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