Aspen tests AI-enabled drones for fire extinguishing

Drone manufacturers are developing a new generation of large drones equipped with artificial intelligence to deliver water or fire retardant, according to wxpr.org and wvxu.org. Aspen, Colorado, is the first location where these drones are being tested for fire extinguishing purposes.

The Aspen Fire Protection District staff are undergoing training to operate these drones independently, making them the first fire department in the country to do so, both sources reported. The drones, developed by California-based Seneca, are about 10 by 12 feet wide and resemble a large insect with four arms and propellers.

Designed to work in swarms, five of these drones can carry between 500 and 1,000 gallons of finished fire foam, similar to the capacity of a small fire engine. Firefighters in Aspen have found the drones easy to operate, with one deputy chief joking that a 12-year-old could fly them.

So far, the drones have only been used on prescribed burns in California with support from Seneca's staff. Aspen Fire plans to deploy the drones to hard-to-reach fires, such as remote lightning strikes, before firefighters arrive, aiming to attack smoldering fires quickly to prevent spread.

Aspen's dense forests and limited evacuation routes make it a high-risk area for wildfires, increasing the potential value of these AI-enabled firefighting drones if they prove effective.