The state of California has endured some of the worst wildfires in recent history. These are the stats from 2020: ?? Burned 4 million acres, ??Lost 8500 structures, ??Estimated $20B in property damage, ??30 deaths. Some citizens are calling for a change in how this destructive force is addressed. Specifically, they want to bring together the best minds from across various disciplines and are proposing that a privately funded organization coordinates the effort. The goal would be to let California and California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CAL FIRE) effectively partner with the private sector and other government agencies. The author of the article, Peter Shannon, states that, “A focus on rapid response to target the first minutes and hours of a new wildfire is vital. Fires grow geometrically, meaning they soon become impractical to extinguish, with containment becoming a long, costly and dangerous undertaking.” Devorto currently has a Customer Memorandum with the Washington Air National Guard within the United States Air Force. This sentiment was also vocalized, where the first six hours largely determines whether a wildfire is contained in six days... or six weeks. One of the most exciting applications for the Tethered Uni-Rotor Network (TURN) is that its vastly increased flight endurance will not only remove people from harm’s way by eliminating the need for a piloted aircraft, but it will also significantly reduce the operational cost for the US taxpayer, which currently runs about $2k-$3k per hour to provide aerial imagery. ?? #devorto #turnuav #solarpoweredaircraft https://lnkd.in/eM8HniYs
