Fighting Fire with Fire: Parallel Flight’s USDA Grant

Parallel Flight Technologies recently received a Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) grant from the USDA to begin developing a large-scale unmanned system for controlled ignition, also known as controlled burns. This solution is being developed for use by the US Forest Service, which is a branch of the USDA.

What is a controlled burn? A controlled burn is an intentional fire that is ignited for land management purposes, such as to reduce flammable fuels on the forest floor. They are also used for fighting active wildfires by creating fire breaks. The US spends hundreds of millions each year on controlled burns because they are a key tool in preventing wildfires.

Why use drones for controlled burns? Tragically, several pilots have died over the years in these controlled burn missions, as they require low and slow flight operation. Agencies are actively looking to replace helicopters with drones for this operation, but they need unmanned aircraft that can carry larger payloads and offer longer flight times.

Developing the Solution

Parallel Flight Technologies is working closely with the unmanned systems team in the Forest Service and with Drone Amplified, a leader in the controlled burn space, to develop solutions for unmanned prescribed burns, as this is a critical tool for preventing wildfires. In California, the 2020 fire season has been one of the most devastating on record, and it is still far from over. The unmanned controlled burn solution we are building can help change this situation for the better, supporting the fight against the global wildfire crisis.

Inside the Technology: Parallel Flight + Drone Amplified

Drone Amplified manufactures the IGNIS fire ignition management system for drones, shown here with our beta aircraft:

IGNIS is a complete system that integrates with drones and carries a payload of chemical spheres. These spheres are ignited on command, sparking prescribed fires in the exact area where the sphere is dropped. Parallel Flight's heavy-lift, long duration technology will allow our drones to carry a 10x larger payload of chemical spheres, allowing a significantly larger coverage area per flight. We’re proud to partner with the Drone Amplified team to integrate their technology with our heavy lift platform.