Most recently, the installation of thermal imaging and visual spectrum cameras on “standard” six-propeller drones has significantly increased our capacity to locate and monitor fires. The cameras detect heat, not only on the surface but also the hotspots deep inside the peat which sometimes go undetected by satellite sensors due to the thick smoke generated by the fires.
At a workshop co-hosted by BNF, CIMTROP and LJMU at the University of Palangka Raya, BNF’s drone pilots and key members of the community patrol and fire-fighting teams have been trained in the use of this thermal imaging equipment. They were able to put their new skills to the test during the 2019 fire season while the toxic haze was at its worst.
Our drone operators flew the thermal drones over large areas of burning peatland to pinpoint hotspots and track the movement of the fires. Data collected were relayed directly back to our drone operators, who immediately updated the patrol and fire-fighting teams so they could identify the priority areas for action, target the allocation of resources and stop fires from entering the forest. In so doing, thermal drones are proving a highly effective tool for saving forest, protecting personnel on the ground and played a vital role in the success of our 2019 fire-fighting campaign.