Drop-in Drone-enabled Forest-Fire Curtain
There were about 59,000 wildfires in 2020 alone, affecting over 10 million acres. Between 2021-2022 it cost the USA over 11.2 billion in damage. With more dry weather in arid regions due to climate change these statistics will likely increase. Yet methods of fighting fires haven’t changed in nearly a half century. We still “dig to dirt” and dump harmful pink slurry’s onto delicate landscapes. Right now it’s often unjust prison labor that fights the fires out west. Suicide rates are high among this population. Let’s design something better.
What if there we a fire resistant or fire retardant lightweight barrier that could act as a drop in shield to halt or redirect the spread of wildfire? Lifted by drones, composed of either fire retardant film or fabric, NASA inspired with zirconium or some other metal based framework-coated, protecting both people and land? Could poles be set in place to reduce the cost and use of drones once lifted? Could altered automated farm equipment bury the bottom of curtain under soil to stop leakage? This solution wouldn’t harm the landscape, is lightweight and reusable, and back of napkin calculations suggest it’s feasible and financially sound. But how to test it? Is fabric or film better?
the Fire Blanket already exists and fire retardant and resistant films, and drones are available off the shelf.
those living in drying fire prone regions in the American West. Governments, National, State and local. Those incarcerated who risk their lives to fight wildfire, as well as other wildfire fighters, for whom mental health and suicide risks are high as well as lung and heart disease.
not really. Just a dreamer and poet in Brooklyn. I have relatives who live out west and care, though.
- Adapt land and coastal areas to more extreme weather, including through climate-smart agriculture or restoring natural ecosystems to mitigate impacts.
- United States
- Concept: An idea for building a product, service, or business model that is being explored for implementation; please note that Concept-stage solutions will not be reviewed or selected as Solver teams
in 2020 18,000 building structures burned in wildfire, of which were 10,000 homes.
I would like the support of the cohort and guidance of the community to find partners, maybe universities to test my concept.
- Technology (e.g. software or hardware, web development/design)
a reusable drone-enabled fire curtain could be a game changer if it works. It would save the mental and physical health of firefighters, save the land, not pollute, and save money.
I want an engineer in a university or arpa-related program to test it. I’ve written the latter to no avail.
- 3. Good Health and Well-being
- 6. Clean Water and Sanitation
- 10. Reduced Inequalities
- 11. Sustainable Cities and Communities
- 12. Responsible Consumption and Production
- 15. Life on Land
it’s just a concept at this point, but lives, buildings, health visits, and land area saved.
ai enabled swarm drones in file, fire retardant or resistant film or fabric.
- A new application of an existing technology
- Artificial Intelligence / Machine Learning
- Big Data
- GIS and Geospatial Technology
- Materials Science
- Not registered as any organization
if it works it’s less expensive than doing nothing. Also the iron oxide that they pour out of planes is not rare but pricey. Since this might be reusable and dispatchable it could be drastically less harmful and expensive.
maybe able to receive funding from here https://bit.ly/3Sd3O0I
https://www.fema.gov/grants/preparedness/firefighters
https://www.firescience.gov/JFSP_funding_announcements.cfm?pass_fiscal_year=2023
- Government (B2G)
Poet