U of M Mechanical Engineering Team Featured in Star Tribune for Wildfire Research
Cedar Creek Ecosystem Science Reserve staff light a backfire as University of Minnesota researcher Nikil Krishnakumar prepares drones to fly in the smoke at Cedar Creek Ecosystem Science Reserve in East Bethel on Oct. 24. (Renée Jones Schneider/The Minnesota Star Tribune)
A research team from the University of Minnesota’s Department of Mechanical Engineering was recently featured in the Star Tribune for its work developing autonomous drones to study wildfire smoke. The project aims to use smoke patterns to better understand and predict fire behavior—critical data that could one day assist in wildfire prevention and emergency response.
Led by Professor Jiarong Hong, the team has developed and refined drones capable of collecting detailed particle data in real field conditions. With support from the National Science Foundation, this research marks a significant step toward real-time wildfire monitoring using AI-driven drone swarms.