Spain has begun to carry out prevention actions against large fires called ‘sixth generation’, which consist of carrying out a series of controlled and monitored burns with Drones as a way to fight forest fires.
Telespazio Ibérica, a reference company in geoinformation in our country, and the reference aeronautical group in emergencies with aerial means, Pegasus Aero Group, have given the starting signal for the first burning controlled areas monitored with drones to combat sixth generation fires and other natural disasters. The tests have been carried out in the first stratoport in Europe, located in the Fuerteventura Technology Park (Canary Islands).
Control and monitoring drones
The goal of these simulations, which began recently and will run for a month, is to refine the early detection of fire outbreaks and improving emergency management through cutting-edge technology. The drones collect and transmit geospatial data to the control center located in the Fuerteventura Technology Park, which once processed helps in decision-making.
This project is the most important that is currently being developed at the national level to ccombat sixth generation forest firesincreasingly frequent in recent years and that many times exceed the control and work of the extinction services, because they are more intense, faster and unpredictable
Phenomena such as increased temperatures, drought or poor biodiversity management have hampered the current management of these fireswhich is why it is necessary to use innovative technological solutions such as drones, aeronautical and aerospace vehicles such as pseudosatellites (HAPs and MALE) and satellites.
In this last year, forest fires in Spain have affected more than 34,000 hectares of forests, bushes and pastures, according to the latest data from the Ministry of Ecological Transition. Specifically, 3,966 fires have occurred. Of these, 13 have been great forest firesthat is, incidents that have affected more than 500 hectares.
The CEO of Telespazio Ibérica, Carlos Fernández de la Peña, commented that “these tests are one more step in a project that we are carrying out side by side with Pegasus Aero Group and the Canary Islands authorities. Furthermore, we have recently launched our offices in Fuerteventura with a dozen workers, which represents a great boost to the project.”
For his part, the CEO of Pegasus Aero Group, Héctor Tamarit, has assured that “these tests in Fuerteventura are the real demonstration that we can apply our technology and make flights as UAS operators in the fight against fires and other disasters throughout the national territory.”
Tests with drones, aerospace vehicles and satellites are carried out at the Fuerteventura stratoport, the first in Europe. This project is the most important that is currently being developed at the national level to fight these most unpredictable, intense and fast fires.