REAS 2023: Drones at the Frontline of Firefighting
Firefighting drones, technological innovation for emergency management
At the 22nd edition of the International Emergency Exhibition, REAS 2023, scheduled from 6 to 8 October at the Montichiari (BS) Exhibition Centre, drones will play a central role. The national conference on the use of drones in emergencies will provide an opportunity for discussion and analysis of the latest innovations in this field. This year, the focus will be on fire-fighting drones, valuable tools for identifying, monitoring and suppressing forest fires.
The conference, organised by Roma Drone Conference and Sea Drone Tech Summit under the moderation of Luciano Castro, will be attended by representatives of the Fire Brigade, Forestry Corps, and Civil Protection, as well as industry experts Andrea Beggio and Gabriele Giorgini of Vector Robotics. The synergy between different entities and the field experience of these professionals will contribute to outlining the future of the use of drones in the fight against natural disasters.
A highlight of the conference will be the preview presentation of two revolutionary drones made in Italy: the FireHound Zero LTE and the FireResponder, developed by Vector Robotics in collaboration with NPC Spacemind. The first, a fixed-wing drone, is equipped with an infrared sensor for early fire detection and precise transmission of coordinates. The second, a VTOL drone, has the capacity to carry up to 6 kg of extinguishing material to be dropped on the fire, representing a promising solution for direct action on flames.
These drones, powered by solar energy, can fly for many hours even over long distances, significantly increasing the ability to monitor and intervene in forested areas. The technological innovation represented by these devices marks a significant step forward in the management of forest fire emergencies.
Also presented during REAS 2023 will be the ‘Air Rescue Network Aeronautical Chart’, a map produced by Avioportolano and EIL Systems. This resource details the network of 1,500 Italian aeronautical infrastructures, including airports and surfaces, that can be used for emergency and civil protection missions, providing a comprehensive and up-to-date overview to improve the coordination and effectiveness of rescue operations.
This year’s REAS demonstrates, once again, the importance of collaboration and technological innovation in tackling the challenges posed by natural emergencies. The adoption of firefighting drones, together with the development of information resources such as the aeronautical infrastructure map, represents a promising chapter towards more effective and timely management of emergencies in Italy.