Ellipse helps fight wildfires

Climate change has contributed to the increased risk and extent of wildfires (known as bush fires in Australia). Wildfires destroy thousands of hectares of forests each year. Prediction and early detection of wildfires can save lives, infrastructure, and ecologically sensitive areas.

Equally important is planning for recovery during and aftermath of a forest fire. As wildfires are becoming more frequent, fire agencies rely on technologies generating real-time fire maps to fight wildfires. Fire Flight, based in Australia, is a global provider of real-time fire mapping and fire intelligence services. The company provides its end user (like fire managers and fire agencies) with information on fire boundaries as well as thermal image maps of the fire.

Fire Flight fire mapping system is a combination of hardware (fire mapping cameras, GPS/IMU, computers) and software mounted on a manned aircraft. The aircraft is flown high above active forest fires, where it creates accurate maps in real-time. These maps are shared with the end user to help them devise plans for fighting the fires.

IMU accuracy is the key

The geospatial accuracy of the fire map is directly dependent on the accuracy of the IMU integrated into the system. Fire Flight sought to employ a cost-effective IMU that could deliver accurate data to the fire-mapping-system in real time.  In the past, they procured IMUs elsewhere and were unsatisfied with their low accuracy. After evaluating several competitors and solutions available in the market, Fire Flight gave the thumbs-up to our Ellipse-D.

After carefully evaluating their requirement, our product team recommended Ellipse-D as the best fit. Ellipse-D; a dual-antenna Inertial Navigation System (INS), delivers a more accurate heading than a single-antenna solution. However, Fire Flight had concerns about mounting Ellipse-D’s dual GNSS antennas on the airplane. They felt that it could complicate the installation process and could be subjected to additional certification implications.

A seamless integration

After initial tests and demonstrations, the Fire Flight team was fully convinced to employ Ellipse-D’s dual GNSS as recommended by us. They chose Ellipse-D for its reliability and high accuracy. Fire Flight commended our Support Team for their prompt response during the integration phase.

Integration of Ellipse-D into Fire Flight’s fire mapping system was seamless! This partnership exemplifies how innovative technologies can address critical challenges posed by climate change.

We are extremely proud to be part of Fire Flight’s solution of airborne imaging technology to help them in their mission of protecting people, property, and the environment.