Drones Carry So-Called “Dragon Eggs” to Prevent Wildfires

Drones are now carrying dragon eggs that'll help prevent wildfires and save a lot of firemen's lives

As wildfires in the United States have gotten larger and deadlier in recent years, one start-up is employing drones and fire-starting dragon eggs to help avoid catastrophic blazes and save the lives of firefighters. Preventing wildfires with dragon eggs can be laborious and risky at times for firefighters of today.

Drone Amplified, a Nebraska-based firm, is employing unmanned aerial technology to improve prescribed burns, one of the oldest and most efficient techniques of wildfire prevention. The controlled application of fire by a team of professionals to eliminate dangerous fuel in places prone to wildfires is referred to as drones carrying dragon eggs. According to the US Forest Service, "more managed burns imply fewer severe wildfires." According to Carrick Detweiler, founder, and CEO, drone-driven dragon eggs work by "doing a very low-intensity burn that usually burns up the dead leaves and sticks that would cause major wildfires later in the summer."

In 2017, two engineering professors from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln founded the start-up. The National Science Foundation and the Nebraska Department of Economic Development gave it a $1 million grant for research and development in 2020.

"When it's safe to do so, we can decrease these massive flames by employing more fire," Detweiler continued.

According to Detweiler, firefighters frequently must travel or ride an all-terrain vehicle into deep forest or hilly terrain while carrying a drip torch to ignite tiny fires in specific, inaccessible spots. "Then there are helicopters with a complete crew on board, flying incredibly low and slow above the fire," he said of additional controlled burn tactics.

The drones contain "dragon eggs," or fireballs that erupt when they hit the ground. "They have potassium permanganate," Detweiler explained of the dragon eggs, explaining that when this is mixed with glycol, a chemical reaction occurs, resulting in a fire. A single 50-pound drone may accommodate 400 of these fireballs.

According to Detweiler, drones allow firefighters to operate at a safe distance from the flames and in regions that are difficult to access owing to topography or visibility. Furthermore, firefighting technology may be employed "when it's dark, smoky, and other planes can't be out there."

The drones, which are controlled by an app, can also drop the fire-starting balls in precise areas. Precision is essential while performing controlled burns since it helps to avoid fire escapes.