The NSW RFS has a powerful new software system helping crews interpret and track bushfire behaviour in real time. Known as Aerial Intelligence Gathering, the technology developed by Nova Systems processes infrared aerial photographs of fires in seconds, a process that previously took more than half an hour.

Homebush

The New South Wales Rural Fire Service (NSW RFS) is utilizing cutting-edge technology to enhance its firefighting efforts. Developed by Nova Systems, the Airborne Intelligence Gathering system allows for real-time tracking of bushfire behavior through infrared aerial imaging. By processing these images in seconds, a task that once required over 30 minutes, the system provides crucial data to firefighters about the fire's location, intensity, and trajectory.

The integration of this technology is aimed at improving public safety by enabling firefighters to make informed decisions quickly. Dean Rosenfield, CEO of Nova Systems, highlighted the importance of synthesizing data to aid in fighting fires, protecting communities, and informing potential evacuations. RFS Assistant Commissioner Vicky Campbell emphasized that timely and accurate information from the aerial intelligence aids both firefighting teams and residents in endangered areas. Nova Systems' engineers Ian Reid and Stuart Matthews are key figures behind this innovative geospatial technology.

In addition to its infrared imaging capabilities, the system is integrated with the Australian Fire Danger Rating System, which helps in predicting and displaying fire danger levels across the country. This advancement ensures that communities receive vital information about fire threats, enabling them to take preventive measures. Assistant Commissioner Vicki Campbell referred to this system as world-leading, recognizing its role in enhancing the efficiency and safety of firefighting operations.



New technology helping firefighters battle blazes this summer

Faced with a fast-moving fire, a few minutes warning can make all the difference. Now, with their eyes in the sky, working in tandem with some clever technology on the ground, the NSW Rural Fire Service can track dangerous blazers in real time. Exactly what the fire is doing, where it is, how intense it is and where it's travelling to. Known as Airborne Intelligence Gathering, smart sensor cameras take these infrared aerial images of fires, transmit them back to RFS headquarters where they're processed in seconds by a powerful new software platform. It's about keeping people safe and protecting communities. Dean Rosenfield is CEO of Nova Systems, the Australian-owned engineering and technology company which developed the platform. We've got a way of actually synthesising numerous points of data, bringing that together and then presenting it to the firefighters so they can prepare and move appliances around or potentially evacuate areas where they may be in the bushfires way. For RFS Assistant Commissioner Vicky Campbell, being able to better prepare both her teams on the ground and people in bushfire-affected areas can mean the difference between life and death. Just as important as fighting the fire is also about telling the community what's happening, so with the knowledge that we have from our aerial intelligence, we can provide really accurate and timely information to our communities about what the threat is and therefore provide some really good advice to them about what their best action is to do. Ian Reid and Stuart Matthews from Nova Systems are responsible for making this geospatial technology a firefighting reality. In the past it was a manual process, so it took about half an hour. With the process we've built, it's automated. It only takes a couple of minutes to get the data in front of the people that need to see it. With these five scan frames, we do the scan frame five apps. For the incident management team, getting the intel within minutes rather than having to wait 30 minutes or more will make a huge amount of difference. Here at RFS headquarters, the team from Nova Systems is working with Rural Fire Service staff and volunteers to help solve other challenges too. The one thing we have done with the Australian Fire Danger Rating System, we take the inputs, which is the fuel data from fires, etc., the vegetation, it goes into another agency where we do modelling. From that modelling, what we can then do is display the fire danger rating, and that's done throughout Australia, across all states. So when you're driving through a small country town and you look up on the board, you'll see whether it's catastrophic or normal, that's coming from us. And this bushfire season, Assistant Commissioner Vicki Campbell says that information, and the data now available thanks to the RFS's Airborne Intelligence Gathering Unit, is information the crews and those in affected areas should be paying attention to. This is world leading. We know that we are one of the best in the world as far as being able to capture this information and provide it to the troops on the ground so that we can then make better informed decisions, make firefighting more efficient and more safe, and importantly, protect our communities.

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