Wildfires Are Not Just a U.S. Problem Windracers, a British firm specializing in autonomous flight and swarm technology, is using drones to seek out and extinguish nascent or early stage wildfires. A recent report from the University of Sheffield alerts us, “Wildfires have become more frequent, larger, and more severe in the United Kingdom. Factors such as land use changes, higher temperatures, drought conditions, and climate change contribute to this trend. In 2022, there were over 44,000 wildfires—a rise of 72% from the previous year.” Sheffield and the University of Bristol have partnered with Windracers, a British automated aerial delivery company, to seek out and contain wildfires early in their development cycles. To add a trans-Atlantic link, Purdue University is joining the effort. International Concerns Windracers’ Links to English Universities As noted above, Windracers is working with the Universities of Sheffield and Bristol, combining talents in artificial intelligence and swarm technology. Dr. Lyudmila Mihaylova, Professor of Signal Processing and Control …
