The Astar team aims to alleviate the problem of global warming. For this there was a previous research on the main reasons for such a problem to occur. Looking at the data, we can conclude that global warming occurs for 3 main reasons: increased greenhouse effect gas emissions, burning of trees and forests, and deforestation. We chose to focus on the problem of forest burning, which accounts for 20% of global warming according to Science magazine. But why did we choose this?

Very recently, Brazil has become worldly known by the lack of efficient fire treatment in the Amazon rainforest. According to NASA 2019 is the worst year of burning in the Brazilian Amazon since 2010.

Image 1. Charts relating the burns and the days of the year (2012 to 2019).Source: Nasa

The largest rainforest in the world is the Amazon, and if all carbon trapped in it is released, it will represent a major environmental disaster. In Brazil, 75% of the country's CO2 emissions come from deforestation and burning, according to data published in 2010 by IBGE (Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics). Having this in mind, the Astar team proposes to develop a strategy to mitigate forest fires. But how will it be done?

The idea is to use technology to expedite the process of identification and action to fight fires, using autonomous drones with AI and spheres containing substances to stop the fire. The drones should have a coupled compartment for the storage of the balls. The balls used to have an existing technology, applied and validated. These structures contain the substance Ammonium Monophosphate, generally used in fire extinguishers for ABC fire. The balls, when exposed to heat, explode and release the substance that stops the fire. Each one of them can act on an area of up to 10 m². And what will be done?

Initially it will be needed to map out the areas that are most likely to cause a fire (Using NASA data on the subject). That done, the next step is to install a drone base at these strategic points. Neural network (AI) drones will be able to recognize fire spots previously signaled by the NASA-synchronized database.

Through data provided by NASA's “FIRMS” tool, AI will make the decision to send the first team of drones to make the fire point recognition. If the fire is confirmed, the data will be sent and analyzed for the second fleet of drones that will travel to the signaled point, starting the bombardment with the fire fighting spheres. Thus, the combat cycle begins, which will only be completed when the last wave of drones no longer identify fire principle.

Image 2. Graph relating the area of burns with the years.

Source: INPE (National Institute for Space Research)

Once implemented, the project would help to reduce the average forest fire fighting time. According to the Spanish government, firefighters take an average of 140 minutes to move around and extinguish a forest fire. With our technology employed, this time will be reduced to 7% of the current average. Considering that in Brazil, 58% of greenhouse effect gas emissions come from burning and deforestation (INEP), we can significantly reduce this number.