Squamish-based FireSwarm Solutions Inc., a startup that develops autonomous drone technology for wildfire management, announced it has $500,000 in funding from the BC Centre for Innovation & Clean Energy (CICE).
CICE is an independent not-for-profit corporation that funds "clean energy innovators."
Other past projects it has invested in include the electrification of snow plows and funding for a company that aims to make lithium battery manufacturing cleaner, among others.
In the spring, CICE put out a call to companies developing "ground-breaking solutions to better manage and mitigate the growing threat of wildfire."
They awarded $3 million to six of the 74 companies that applied for the 2024 Wildfire Tech Call for Innovation, including FireSwarm Solutions.
(See the full list of recipients.)
CICE claims this is Canada’s first-ever funding opportunity for wildfire technologies.
The $500,000 will speed FireSwarm’s deployment of long-endurance, heavy-lift autonomous drone swarms to detect, map, and suppress wildfires.
It is non-dilutive funding; this means financing that doesn’t require the business to give up any percentage of ownership of the company.
“The CICE investment is fast-tracking our commercialization timeline, enabling pilot projects and integrated training exercises with B.C. communities and First Nations across B.C., which will be partially supported by the CICE grant,” said Melanie Bitner, co-founder of FireSwarm, in an email to The Squamish Chief.
“As a Sea to Sky company, FireSwarm is committed to supporting wildland firefighters with tools that fill gaps in suppression, making aerial suppression safer and effective at night and in low visibility when helicopters and waterbombers can't fly,” she added.
“We’ve already started building relationships with local governments, First Nations, and industry partners. Our goal is to collaborate with partners to build and pre-position a network of fleets across the region that can respond quickly in high-risk areas, enhancing wildfire management and safety.”
Bitner said that scaled testing of its swarm algorithm—the drone-agnostic software that enables unmanned aircraft system technology to autonomously pick up water and perform manual drops—is well underway in Squamish.
“Once we receive the ultra heavy-lift ACC Innovation Thunder Wasp drones in 2025, testing will expand to the Squamish Valley, pending approval from the necessary regulatory agencies,” she said.
She added that as the company gains customers, the plan is to establish a local Operations Centre similar to the maintenance and support facilities provided by aircraft manufacturers.
This centre would feature a research and development lab “to continually improve the solutions we offer our clients.”
Currently, FireSwarm employs four locals, and Bitner expects this number could grow to up to 40 as its operation expands.
According to the provincial government, wildfires in 2024 resulted in 51 evacuation orders, affecting more than 4,100 properties, and 112 evacuation alerts, which affected more than 12,500 properties.
As of Nov. 1, the estimated cost of wildfire suppression this year alone was $621 million.
According to a news release, FireSwarm's drones will be able to carry up to 350kg and will be able to detect hotspots, execute precise water drops, and deliver real-time data to remote or nighttime operations.
The company estimates its product could result in a 30% reduction in the amount of area burned by wildfire, potentially preventing up to 3,900 tons of CO2 emissions annually in high-risk regions.
"This project is vital for addressing the escalating threat of wildfires with innovative, effective solutions," said Alex Deslauriers, CEO of FireSwarm Solutions Inc., in the release.
"By supporting FireSwarm and our partner, Data Blanket, CICE is enabling us to revolutionize wildfire and forest management through autonomous drone swarms that detect, map, and suppress fires with precision and speed. CICE’s support is accelerating the development and commercialization of this transformative technology, which will allow us to support the wildland fire industry to protect lives, communities, and ecosystems."
