In the vast realm of space exploration, we have chosen a mission that holds immense significance for both human safety and environmental preservation. Our goal is to develop a CanSat that can effectively identify and classify potential forest fires, aiding firefighters and environmental professionals in their crucial work. Additionally, we aim to report any illegal fireplaces we come across, promoting the protection of our natural surroundings.
Detecting potential or existing forest fires is no easy task for a machine. To make this possible, we make use of a thermal imaging sensor combined with a visible light sensor (also called a camera) to gather information about what’s happening on the ground. We then process this information and add location data to see where the fire is exactly. Additionally, we make use of the onboard temperature and humidity sensors to calculate the potential risk of fire even before it happens.
While we may not detect any fires at the day of the competition (we hope we won’t), we aim to develop a technology that will allow for inexpensive surveillance and data gathering across wide regions of forests. When not inside of a CanSat but mounted on a drone for example, data used from the satellite could be used for identifying and locating anything from illegal fireplaces to large-scale forest fires. We believe that our technology can be used all around the world to aid firefighters in the mission of protecting our environment from the dangers of fire.