🔥 BurnBot performs controlled burns to reduce the risk of forest fires

🔥 BurnBot performs controlled burns to reduce the risk of forest fires

BurnBot has developed a robot that performs controlled burns without flames and smoke. The robot reduces the need for personnel and minimizes the risk of fire spreading uncontrollably.

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  • BurnBot has developed a robot that performs controlled burns without flames and smoke.
  • The robot reduces the need for personnel and minimizes the risk of fire spreading uncontrollably.
  • The technology has attracted interest from energy companies, among others, and can contribute to better fire management globally.

New technology for controlled burns

BurnBot, a San Francisco-based company, has developed a robot that performs controlled burns without visible flames or smoke. This method, known as controlled burning, has long been used by indigenous populations to manage the risk of forest fires.

The robot is pulled by a remote-controlled tractor and turns vegetation in its path into ash. It uses propane burners and air blowers to create temperatures up to 1000 degrees Celsius in a combustion chamber.

Advantages of robot-controlled burning

The use of BurnBot's technology reduces the need for personnel. A burn that would normally require 10 people can now be performed by a five-person crew with the help of the robot.

The robot also increases safety during controlled burns. By keeping the combustion in a closed chamber and using industrial fans to create an upward airflow, the risk of fire spreading outside the intended area is minimized.

Smoke-free combustion

One of the most remarkable features of BurnBot's technology is its ability to perform almost smoke-free burns. The intense heat, combined with a highly concentrated stream of oxygen, destroys particles that would normally form smoke.

Fire tech

BurnBot is part of a rapidly growing "fire tech" sector that focuses on prevention, detection, and suppression of fires. Other companies in the sector include Pano AI, which uses AI-enabled cameras to detect fires early, and Rain, which manufactures autonomous helicopters for firefighting.

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