JAKARTA – Urban Sky startup won a grant award from NASA, Wednesday, June 26. From the awarded grants, the company would build a forest fire monitoring system. The contract is awarded directly by NASA’s Land Science Technology Office with a value of 2.6 million US dollars (42 billion IDR). The surveillance system that Urban Sky will develop will be added to the stratosphere to help arsonists on the ground. As the technology is developed, Urban Sky will increase the accuracy of its geolocation sensor. The system developed by mobile network company goTenna can send data directly to fire officials. Urban Sky chief executive Andrew Antonio told Spacenews that the system will stand out because of its high resolution. The company is focusing on its resolution because its sensors will fly to the stratosphere, not orbit.
According to Antonio, these balloons are more responsive than satellites because they can operate quickly and can monitor certain fires. In addition, balloons are not like satellites that must wait to arrive in a relevant area. “If it’s windy, we can float for days,” Antonio said. “We can park the balloons in fire risk areas for several days (without disturbance). » Before receiving the award to make a forest fire monitoring tool, Urban Sky also received an award from NASA. The company won the NASA Forest Research Small Business Innovation Award for the development of small infrared sensors.
Tags: nasa hot air balloon technology
