With the increase in wildfires in America in recent years and their transformation into an annual problem, state agencies and technology companies are seeking innovative solutions for faster containment of this crisis. This summer, drones equipped with water spray and fire-retardant materials were tested in areas of California and Alaska to evaluate their ability to extinguish fires in the early stages.
Although these drones, due to their small size and limited flight range, cannot replace large airplanes, their purpose is to assist firefighting forces in rapid response and to prevent the spread of fire. In a recent test by the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CAL FIRE), five autonomous drones worked together to use between 500 and 1000 gallons of fire-retardant foam to extinguish the fire. This project was organized in collaboration with the nonprofit organization FireWERX and the Senka company, which will commercially launch these drones from 2026.