UAV Ignition Ball Dropping for Prescribed Burn Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current fire management technologies are limited in their ability to efficiently ignite fires in rough landscapes and monitor wildfires, relying on costly and risky manned helicopters and ground personnel, with inadequate real-time information and accessibility, leading to increased risks and costs.
Innovation Solution
An Unmanned Air System for Fire Fighting (UAS-FF) equipped with lightweight fire sensing and ignition capabilities, including delayed-ignition balls and a dropper system, allows for precise fire direction and intensity manipulation, providing real-time feedback and increasing safety by enabling autonomous and remote fire ignition and monitoring.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If ground personnel with drip torches and hand tools are used to ignite fires, then fire ignition capability is provided, but accessibility to rough landscapes is limited and personnel safety is compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an unmanned aerial vehicle as an intermediary device that delivers ignition devices (delayed-ignition balls) to rough landscapes without exposing personnel to hazardous conditions. The UAV acts as a mediator between the ignition source and the target area, eliminating direct personnel exposure to fire risks while maintaining ignition capability in inaccessible terrains.
2Ease of operation
If manned helicopters are used for aerial fire ignition, then accessibility to rough landscapes is improved, but costs increase significantly and personnel safety risks remain
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs disposable delayed-ignition balls that are inexpensive to manufacture and deploy. These single-use ignition devices are delivered by cost-effective unmanned aerial vehicles, replacing expensive manned helicopter operations. The low cost of the disposable ignition balls enables widespread use without significant financial burden, making aerial fire ignition accessible to most prescribed fire practitioners.
3Loss of information
If observers are strategically placed to monitor fires, then fire monitoring capability is provided, but blind spots exist and continuous information cannot be obtained
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transitions from ground-based two-dimensional observer positioning to three-dimensional aerial monitoring using unmanned aerial vehicles. This dimensional change eliminates blind spots by providing overhead visibility and enables continuous monitoring through mobile aerial platforms that can traverse the entire fire perimeter, capturing comprehensive real-time data without the limitations of fixed ground observer positions.
4Area of stationary object
If satellite observation is used for fire monitoring, then large fire coverage is achieved, but timeliness is insufficient and costs are high
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces static satellite observation with dynamic unmanned aerial vehicle monitoring. The UAVs can rapidly deploy to fire scenes, adjust their positioning in real-time, and provide continuous updated imagery. This dynamic approach maintains comprehensive area coverage while dramatically improving response time and data freshness compared to scheduled satellite passes, delivering timely fire monitoring information at lower costs.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The UAS-FF reduces risk, increases effectiveness, and enhances efficiency by providing continuous, precise fire management capabilities, improving safety and reducing costs through autonomous and remote operation, while enabling more aggressive ignition patterns and real-time data transmission.
Implementation Method 1
The ignition system includes a container of delayed-ignition balls and a dropper configured, by virtue of one or more motors, to actuate and drop the delayed-ignition balls
Data Source
AI summary
An unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) can be configured for fire suppression and ignition. In some examples, the UAV includes an aerial propulsion system, an ignition system, and a control system. The ignition system includes a container of delayed-ignition balls and a dropper configured, by virtue of one or more motors, to actuate and drop the delayed-ignition balls. The control system is configured to cause the UAV to fly to a site of a prescribed burn and, while flying over the site of the prescribed burn, actuate one or more of the delayed-ignition balls. After actuating the one or more delayed-ignition balls, the UAV drops the actuated one or more delayed-ignition balls from the UAV onto the site of the prescribed burn.