Testing a long-range Aera drone to raise the alarm on summer wildfires

Dutch drone company Avy—an alumnus of ESA's Business Incubation Center Noordwijk, next to the Agency's ESTEC technical center in the Netherlands—looked into using its long-range Aera drone to raise the alarm on summer wildfires on a real-time basis.

Last year more than 750 football fields worth of forests and dunes went up in flames due to summer wildfires. By equipping Aera with a camera, first responders could obtain early warning of new fires and real-time information while en route to the scene.

Testing took place with Dutch company CHC Helicopter and regional public safety organization Veiligheidsregio Noord-Holland Noord.