Hot Spot: High-Resolution Real-Time Wildfire Detection, Mapping, and Communication Relay System with Persistent Broad-Area Coverage

As wildfires continue to surge in intensity and frequency, threatening communities and ecosystems, there is a pressing need for advanced detection and monitoring solutions. As wildfires change, so to must the technology solutions we use to sense and fight them. At the heart of this proposal lies the central objective: the development, advancement, and deployment of a cutting-edge sensor system for the overall management of wildfires. Envision this system as a vigilant sentinel, floating high above in the stratosphere for days or weeks at a time, casting an expansive gaze over our forests. With its sharp eyes, it can detect the faintest glimmers of a nascent fire and monitor its every move, sending real-time data back to those who can combat the fire. Our approach is anchored by two primary technical components: High-Resolution Imaging: Our sensor's distinct capability to capture vast areas at a rapid rate, approximately 3,000 acres per minute at a 3.5m resolution, ensures comprehensive monitoring. With its persistent operational ability, it can stay airborne for days, even weeks, either hovering over an active fire, moving between fires, or scouting areas at high risk for potential outbreaks. Beyond just detection and mapping, our system will be outfitted with a mesh networked communication repeater and transmitter. This addition enables firefighters on the ground, often working in regions with sparse communication, to maintain connectivity, ensuring efficient coordination during firefighting operations. This communication will also provide the ability to send shape files outlining a fires location, generated by the imager, to firefighters in the field directly, providing a cutting-edge opportunity for firefighters to use a sensor tens of kilometers above them in the stratosphere to see the fire they are fighting in near real time. Over 6 flights have been flown with early versions of the system to date, including comprehensive imaging of the Pass Wildfire in New Mexico. Our preliminary system has already demonstrated an ability to map and relay real-time data, emphasizing its potential when fully realized. Addressing the objectives of the solicitation, our proposed system offers a transformative approach to wildfire detection, monitoring, and communication. As the climate crisis escalates and wildfires become an even more prominent challenge, timely and accurate data, coupled with effective communication, will be critical. Our proposed system aligns with NASA's commitment to harnessing advanced technologies to safeguard our planet and communities. With its unique blend of rapid, high-resolution imaging and communication capabilities, this system doesn't just offer a solution; it promises a paradigm shift in how we confront and manage the wildfire challenge. Moreover, the system's affordability and scalability make it a feasible solution for wide-scale deployment, amplifying its impact and offering a new paradigm where the entire expanse of at-risk or on-fire areas are monitored continuously. In sum, as NASA continues its legacy of pushing the boundaries of what technology can achieve, our proposal stands as a beacon of innovation, directly addressing a pressing global challenge and exemplifying NASA's broader vision for a safer, better-connected world.

Enhances the capabilities for existing science instruments for monitoring pre-fire, active-fire, and post-fire situations, reduces the power and mass of these instruments, and enables unprecedented observations in support of wildfire science through distributed observing systems and the information technologies needed for their support.

This is early/mid-stage (TRL 6) — the most realistic path in is NASA SBIR/STTR, which funds small businesses and research institutions to develop technology aligned with NASA's needs (equity-free, phased funding). Check whether a current SBIR/STTR solicitation topic overlaps with this project's technology area, or contact the project directly (above) to ask.

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