TECNALIA Technology Centre has designed and validated a high-capacity unmanned aircraft, developing its flight control, assistance systems, and a functional prototype tested with live fire in its laboratory.
Likewise, the Basque Technology Centre has brought together a hundred partner companies at its third annual meeting, a meeting point for organizations around technology and people leadership as key to anticipating the challenges of the future.
Advanced System for Extinguishing Rural Fires using UAVs
El TECNALIA Technology Centre TECNALIA has designed a high-capacity electric drone for fighting forest fires, capable of carrying and releasing water both horizontally and vertically. The project, in which TECNALIA is participating, is called EXTINCIA (Advanced System for Extinguishing Rural Fires using UAVs -unmanned aerial vehicles- and Artificial Intelligence)It aims to improve the accuracy and effectiveness of fire suppression, using unmanned vehicles capable of vertical and horizontal drops of up to 600 kg, especially useful for acting on small fires close to inhabited areas or critical infrastructure.
TECNALIA's role in this project has focused on the design of a high-load and horizontal and vertical unmanned aircraft for firefighting, the development of aircraft flight control for firefighting, including disturbance rejection techniques and airworthiness assistance (LIDAR), the development of a scale prototype of the aircraft, integrating a firefighting cannon and systems, and the validation flights of firefighting in its laboratory with real fire.
The initiative in which he/she participates TECNALIAThe project, funded by CDTI, is led by CLUE Technologies, which develops technology to combat forest fires in rural and peri-urban areas using artificial intelligence, along with Aeromedia, Bastan, Drone Hopper, Helion and Telespazio, with technological support from CATECH e ITG.
The innovation of this aerial firefighting platform is based on three pillars: the use of high-capacity electric drones specifically designed for firefighting; the advanced integration of artificial intelligence and onboard computing for precise, real-time operations; and the development of systems that allow for the safe coexistence of manned and unmanned aircraft—a key aspect that has remained unresolved in firefighting operations until now. All of this is aimed at improving operational efficiency, real-time decision-making, and the protection of both the natural environment and the people involved in firefighting efforts.
This initiative represents a technological advancement over current drones by featuring a firebreak and wildfire suppression system based on unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). These drones, combined with artificial intelligence and advanced air control systems, allow for rapid and precise action on emerging fires, reducing the risk of fire spread and improving operational safety.
El project EXTINCTION It also promotes the safe coexistence of manned and unmanned aircraft through an advanced air traffic management system. Furthermore, it integrates communication and monitoring systems for ground personnel, improving the safety of firefighting crews by reducing their exposure to high-risk areas and providing real-time data for decision-making.
Meeting point around technology
Likewise, the Basque Technology Centre brought together a hundred partner companies at its third annual meeting, which was held in a very special place, the Proactive Factory Lab of TECNALIA, located at Mikeletegi 7.
This is an advanced manufacturing laboratory created to anticipate the demands of industry and society and boost competitiveness. It's a real-world and highly appropriate environment for the pillars that define the event: on the one hand, the importance of technological development as the basis for anticipating business needs, and on the other, the leadership of individuals to make this happen.
The event included speeches by the president of TECNALIAAlex Belaustegui, his vice president, María José Armendariz and his general manager, Jesús Valero, spoke about how innovation requires an inseparable pairing between technology to anticipate and people to lead these future challenges and transform them into opportunities and competitive advantages.
Attendees heard from Jon Hernández, a leading expert on AI, who posed a key question: Will AI be a manageable wave or an unstoppable tsunami? They witnessed a live demonstration of AI interacting with robotics on a large scale in a factory environment, offering a glimpse into the future. They also listened to a roundtable discussion on AI where various leaders shared their visions for the future of their respective sectors, including Javier Garate, Director of Organization and Systems at IMQ; Marian Aradillas, Data & AI Director at AYESA DIGITAL; Ricardo Enríquez, Head of Quantum at REPSOL; Silvia Núñez, Head of AI at IBERDROLA ESPAÑA; and Sergio Gil, an AI expert from [unclear - possibly "another organization"]. TECNALIA.