Croatian robotics team to present AI fire prevention system at global competition

A 16-member Croatian robotics team is traveling to Incheon, South Korea, to compete in the FIRST Global Challenge. The team, composed of young roboticists from the NET Informatics Club and the Pozitron Center, will present Pyros-AI, an artificial intelligence system designed for the prevention, early detection, and suppression of forest fires.

Pyros-AI functions by integrating satellite data with ground sensor information, such as soil moisture and precipitation levels, to identify high-risk fire zones. During testing using real fire data from Istria, the system achieved approximately 75 percent accuracy. The project is currently in the development phase, with plans to involve local fire departments to test its practical field applicability. The team is also exploring autonomous systems for removing dry biomass from high-risk areas to use as energy.

The Croatian Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries noted the project's importance in addressing real-world environmental challenges. Additionally, Hrvatske šume provided 6,000 euros in sponsorship to support the team's participation in the international competition, which features national selections from over 190 countries.