Autonomous Drones Advance Wildfire Monitoring Research
Wildfires remain among the most unpredictable and destructive natural hazards, capable of advancing at speeds up to 14 miles per hour through dry grass and shifting direction with little warning. In response to these challenges, a team at The Ohio State University, led by mechanical and aerospace engineering professor Mrinal Kumar, has embarked on a project to integrate autonomous unmanned aerial systems (UAS) into wildland fire management. Supported by a $1.4 million grant from the National Science Foundation’s National Robotics Initiative 3.0 Program, the effort aims to deliver real-time situational awareness to firefighting operations.
The project, titled “Integration of Autonomous UAS in Wildland Fire Management,” focuses on monitoring fire intensity and spread using aerial robotics. Data collected will feed directly into fire behavior models, enhancing understanding of how topography, atmospheric conditions, and forest fuel characteristics influence fire dynamics in temperate hardwood forests. “While the bulk of research in technology use during wildfires has focused on fires in the west, we are focused on the eastern U.S. to hopefully get ahead of the increasing intensity that is predicted over the next several years,” Kumar said. He emphasized that wildland fires provide a critical environment for developing autonomous, risk-aware decision-making systems capable of operating in unstructured and hazardous conditions.
Amit Sanyal, professor at Syracuse University and co-investigator on the project, underscored the complexity of the operational environment. “This is not just flying in isolation,” he explained. “There is hot air from fires and different air currents being induced. Sensors also have to deal with smoke, ash, burning leaves or leaves about to catch fire.” Such conditions demand robust sensor packages and adaptive flight control algorithms capable of maintaining performance despite interference from particulate matter and thermal turbulence.
Field testing will be conducted alongside the Ohio Department of Natural Resources’ prescribed burn team in southern Ohio state forests. Prescribed burns, typically carried out in late fall or early spring, are controlled operations designed to reduce fuel loads and maintain ecosystem health. Under the guidance of Greg Guess from the Division of Forestry, the drones will undergo rigorous trials, progressing toward fully autonomous mission design and eventual deployment in active wildfire scenarios.
The Ohio State team includes Roger Williams, associate professor of forest ecosystem analysis and management, whose expertise will help align drone-collected data with ecological and forestry objectives. By integrating aerial sensing with ground-based observations, the project seeks to create a comprehensive operational picture for fire managers.
Similar initiatives elsewhere highlight the growing role of UAVs in wildfire science and response. Earlier in the year, Spain’s Toledo University collaborated with Routescene, a European drone LiDAR solutions provider, to map the severity and distribution of a forest fire in Albacete province. The study demonstrated that UAV LiDAR data can yield ecologically meaningful metrics for predicting fire risk, refining site-specific impact assessments, and informing post-fire recovery strategies.
In another example, the FAA granted Portland-based Skyward a temporary waiver to operate Percepto Sparrow drones remotely from pilots’ homes. These flights supported inspections of critical communications infrastructure threatened by the Big Hollow wildfire in Washington, illustrating how regulatory flexibility can enable rapid, safe deployment of aerial assets in emergency contexts.
Research at the University of Genoa’s Department of Mechanical Engineering has explored the concept of drone swarms for wildfire suppression. Their proposal envisions swarms operating from relocatable servicing platforms, enabling rapid deployment at any time of day or night, regardless of visibility, and without reliance on nearby water sources. This approach could address limitations faced by conventional firefighting aircraft, which in many countries are restricted to daylight operations and constrained by the need to travel to refueling sites.
Collectively, these efforts signal a shift toward autonomous aerial systems as integral tools in wildfire management. By combining advanced sensing, adaptive control, and coordinated deployment strategies, researchers are laying the groundwork for faster, safer, and more informed responses to one of nature’s most formidable forces.
