Drones Offer an Unparalleled View of the Biggest Wildfire Risks
Spexi is among a handful of startups capturing high-resolution imagery with key advantages over satellite or aerial photos. Forest managers are using them to try and prevent destructive blazes.
A view of the Chilcotin Landslide in British Columbia captured by a Spexi drone. The startup helps forest managers identify high-risk fire zones.
Photo courtesy of SpexiSpotting dead and downed trees that can fuel explosive fires is like searching for a needle in a haystack for forestry crews. Not so for drones, which can survey thousands of acres in a single afternoon, easily accessing landscapes that people generally can’t.
Forest managers are increasingly turning to them and other aerial imagery to pick out potential hotspots otherwise hidden in plain sight in a bid to protect critical infrastructure.