Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service tests AI drone swarms for wildfires

The Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service, in collaboration with the University of Bristol, is testing autonomous AI-powered drone swarms designed to detect and combat wildfires. Inspired by the collective movement of bird flocks, these drones communicate with one another to coordinate search patterns without the need for a central leader.

The technology aims to identify fires while they are still small and manageable. The swarms can consist of different types of drones: smaller units equipped with advanced radar for reconnaissance, and larger drones capable of carrying between 50 and 100 kilograms of extinguishing agents. While the AI processes visual data and suggests actions, human operators remain responsible for final decision-making.

This initiative, supported by Innovate UK, responds to the increasing intensity and scale of wildfires driven by climate change, drought, and high temperatures. Researchers have successfully tested swarms of thirteen drones and aim to expand this to twenty or thirty units in the near future. The system may also eventually assist in predicting fire movement by analyzing wind direction and terrain characteristics.