A pilot project using surveillance sensors and AI-equipped drones to prevent and combat fires aims to reach a potential fire within 10 minutes, the government said today.
“It’s a faster response. The drones are there, as are artificial intelligence and robotics. We must use everything at our disposal to protect the forest,” said minister for agriculture and maritime affairs, José Manuel Fernandes, at the end of the presentation of the Fire Resist project in Lisbon.
The minister said fire-fighting services and authorities take an average of 30 minutes to reach the scene (of any incident) and that the pilot project, to be tested in the Serra do Marão (in the north of the country), aims for an “almost immediate” response.
“The aim is for it to take just a few minutes, so that the fire remains contained. This, essentially, is in line with our ‘Forest 2050′ strategy, through which we want to enhance the value of our forests,” Fernandes added.
At the end of the presentation at the Ministry of Agriculture, Pedro Almas, chair of Drivetel, the company behind the project, told Lusa news agency that the first tests are due to take place in a year’s time. The project involves swarms of drones capable of carrying up to 50 kilograms of fire retardant and intervening in the early stages of a potential fire.
“In a year’s time, we will probably be carrying out the first tests. We are currently finalising the work schedule and the matrix of responsibilities for all the companies involved, both in the private and industrial sectors and in the scientific field,” said Almas.
The system will identify fires using forest surveillance towers and smart sensors. According to Pedro Almas, sensors collect information to identify signs that may indicate the start of a fire; artificial intelligence algorithms then analyse this data to help distinguish potential fire outbreaks from other phenomena, such as fog or mist.
“We are in talks with Baladi (the National Federation of Communal Lands) and the National Association of Municipalities to determine what type of towers and what framework we intend to put in place so that the environmental impact (…) is minimal,” he said.
When asked about the risk of cyberattacks targeting the drones and/ or towers, Almas said data processing and collection are secure and protected against external interference.
He also said the project would prioritise renewable energy, “preferably solar panels or wind turbines”, because in many areas where fires occur, such as Serra do Marrão, the electricity grid is absent, so the equipment relies on other sources to run constantly.
Fire Resist – Forestry Innovation for Resilient, Ecological and Smart Territories represents an investment of €9.8 million and combines scientific research, technological development and industrial capacity to find integrated solutions for prevention, active management and territorial enhancement, according to Drivetel.
The project area covers around 6,000 hectares of uncultivated land in the Serra do Marão, and the implementation phase, which began in September, will end in August 2029.
In addition to Drivetel, the project also brings together the University of Trás-os-Montes and Alto Douro (UTAD), the CoLAB ForestWISE collaborative laboratory, the Fraunhofer Portugal AWAM research centre, and the companies IMMERA, Fisola, Electroclima and Turnpage.
Source: LUSA