Operations (or New Opportunities)

摘要

The New UAV Market: Wildfire SuppressionrnUnmanned Autonomous Vehicle (UAV) applications have always focused on missions that wouldrnprovide systems training, minimize risk exposure to humans and minimize systems costs.rnWe believe a very large, untapped commercial market exists in the wildfire suppression area. ThernUS market for wildfire suppression, varies from +$150M(USD) to +$800M(USD), averaging aroundrn$500M(USD) annually.rnThis market can be served primarily by the aerial delivery of extinguishing material, because thisrnprocedure accounts for the bulk of the extinguished areas within a wildfire perimeter. UAVs configured asrnaerial and ground delivery platforms, can provide “human risk-free” delivery and 24/7/365 performance.rnThis represents a minimum increase of 100% over the current systems’ delivery duration. This UAVrnmission profile is almost identical to that of an Unmanned Combat Autonomous Vehicle (UCAV) in anrnair-to-ground mission.rnThe water, slurries and foam retardants currently used, are difficult to dispense and target from allrndelivery platforms, ES3 has been developing a system which uses a “bomb-like” structure to deliverrnextinguishing material to a target area within a wildfire. This system, when integrated into a UAV, shouldrngive a UAV a much greater affectivity that if it were using the retardants currently used.rnThe advantages of developing a UAV or UCAV system for a wildfire suppression application are:rn1) there are immediate commercial markets for multiple systemsrn2) it would address major issues within the Federal fire suppression communityrn3) it would make full systems test and implementation of UCAVs, less subject to the INF Treaty.