UAVs detect scores of forest fires across Türkiye since 2020

Utilizing cutting-edge technology, the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry has harnessed the effectiveness of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) in combatting forest fires.
Since their inaugural use for this purpose in 2020, these domestically developed UAVs have successfully detected a staggering 3,055 fires, showcasing their pivotal role in forest fire management.
With a commitment to leveraging advanced technological capabilities, the Ministry employs state-of-the-art UAVs that boast superior domestic technology. These UAVs play a pivotal and active role in forest fire prevention and management.
Through technologically evaluated imagery, these UAVs swiftly assess the onset and progression of fires, enabling immediate, efficient, and cost-effective interventions. Equipped with thermal cameras, these aerial assets can detect as little as 1 square meter of heat energy from a remarkable distance of 100 kilometers.
Addressing a post-fire concern, the UAVs identify lingering underground burns within previously affected trees. These concealed areas, believed to be fully extinguished, can potentially reignite due to weather conditions. Leveraging the infrared capabilities of the cameras, such hidden fire hazards are detected, aiming to preclude the emergence of new fires.

Türkiye achieved a pioneering milestone in 2020 by becoming the first European nation, and second globally, to integrate UAVs into its forest fire management strategy. Since their introduction, these UAVs have successfully identified 3,055 fires, demonstrating their indispensable contribution.
The integration of advanced technology, including UAVs, has dramatically reduced the response time to forest fires from 40-45 minutes to a mere 10 minutes.
A comprehensive assessment has revealed that the entirety of fire-sensitive regions managed by forest regional directorates can be effectively surveilled using only 6 UAVs for fire detection. Consequently, each UAV within a designated region can instantaneously scan an expansive area ranging from 600,000 to 800,000 hectares, or up to 3.5 million hectares within a single minute.