Drone swarms could stop wildfires, researchers say

Drones could soon be working together in swarms to put out flames before they become wildfires, UK researchers hope. A team of firefighters, scientists and engineers are working on a project they say will allow swarms of up to 30 autonomous planes to spot and extinguish fires by working collectively using artificial intelligence. Drones piloted by people are already used in firefighting, for example to detect hidden blazes and assess safety risks. The research is still in the test phase and has not been used on a wildfire, but the team claims it is the first to combine unpiloted drone technology with swarm engineering in the field of firefighting.