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Programme: Science and Innovation Missions.
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Scope: National.
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Funding: Programme funded by CDTI.
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Implementation period: 2024–2025.
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Consortium: CLUE (coordinator), Aeromedia, Bastan, Drone Hopper, Helion, and Telespazio Ibérica.
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Technology Centres: CATEC, ITG and TECNALIA.
EXTINCIA proposes a significant technological advancement over the current state of the art through the research and development of a wildfire prevention and firefighting system, combining electrically powered drones, a high-performance onboard computing solution, an advanced air traffic management system, advanced monitoring and communication systems for firefighting personnel, and Artificial Intelligence (AI).
The innovation of EXTINCIA lies in the following aspects:
- Development of drones with a payload capacity of 600 kg, specifically designed to carry out precise drops on small fire outbreaks.
- High-performance onboard processing system.
- Integration of advanced Artificial Intelligence algorithms to provide high precision in fire suppression.
- Development of an advanced control system enabling the coexistence of manned and unmanned aircraft in wildfire operations, through the establishment of separation criteria, trajectory prediction, and conflict resolution.
- Incorporation of monitoring and communication systems to enhance the safety of intervention personnel.
The contribution of Telespazio Ibérica has focused on the air traffic control system and the development of a monostatic pulse radar, together with the VFR-UAS enabling module (trajectory association and prediction module) and the cooperative surveillance station, used to monitor both cooperative and non-cooperative aircraft involved in the operations. All of this is complemented by a conflict detection and resolution system and trajectory prediction capabilities aimed at improving operational safety and decision-making.
