Unmanned aircraft against forest fires

NASA has collaborated with the US Forest and Water Management Agency to test new imaging technologies to combat forest fires.

(Photo: Mtexpress) Over the past few weeks, NASA's Dryden Aviation Research Center tested Ikhana remote control aircraft to assess the capabilities of new infrared heat sensors and computer-connected devices. in real time developed by NASA Ames Research Center.

The sensor is capable of conducting observations through smoke and mist to record hot spots and evolution of forest fires over a long period of time.

On August 16, the first test flight allowed images of wildfires in California to be recorded. Other flights in a series of missions involving Pacific fires will be for missions that last more than 20 hours. The data is transmitted in real time to the state of Idaho and can be accessed directly by those responsible for rescue and fire protection.

With a length of 11m, a 20m viewpoint, Ikhana aircraft can collect data in missions that last more than 30 hours.

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