Quebec-made drones can detect wildfires and help in emergency response

ARA Operator1: They’re gonna be able to detect the thermal signature, they’re gonna be able to detect the pattern, the shape of a human with a high accuracy, say, okay, that’s somebody that, that I found and, and, and located

Sainte: a Quebec based company specializing in the manufacturing of drones and advanced aerial robotics has developed a remotely piloted aircraft system that helps in emergency response and can even detect wildfires.

ARA Operator1: We’re looking to identify the fire perimeter. Uh, we’re looking to identify the hotspot. Is there gonna be fire that was not extinguished from the past season that could catch up again? So we’re talking about saving communities, saving people.

You know, wildfires are becoming a national problem in the West, but even here in Quebec and Ontario, I think it’s very important for us to kind of, uh, help, um, that in that sector.

Sainte: A RA robotics showed us how the small drones work at their test site. In St. Julie, south of Montreal, they can reach 4,000 meters and fetch 20 kilometers in range, working with various industries from mining infrastructures to security and defense. Both duo when Kian and Pascal, Shiva Bernard of a RA say, the drones are built with an infrared camera and AI processing capabilities, which they say allows them to detect and pinpoint objects.

Our drones are capable of operating in a swarm configuration. What this means is that we can have multiple drones take off simultaneously in the air. This drastically increases the area that we can cover.

ARA Operator2: The fact that we have this, that we can produce them here, that we can work on developing them so they get even more efficient is very important and it’s very critical for our country.

Sainte: Alongside a RA ero, which manufactures remotely piloted helicopters received an investment of nearly $8.8 million from the province aiming to help in border security and law enforcement.

In the context of search and rescue, it allows us to be able to cover a large swaths of, uh, of area of land really quickly.

ARA Operator2: If, let’s say an agent got a drone in his car, can deploy it, can quickly assess, is there a family trying to pass the border in the middle of the winter that they can? Help and, and send support that that’s the kind of task that a drone will be able to do.

Sainte: As the drone industry and AI continues to grow, defense sectors are showing interest in what will be a new age of fire management and search and rescue capabilities.

ARA Operator2: We’re gonna see in the next years the evolution of the drone to be very much a self-managed tool. Uh, that’s gonna be super useful for many types of industry

Sainte: in St. Julie, Quebec De. City news.

Source: https://youtu.be/nbemE_S93_k