Wildfire drone network calculator: how many sensors, gateways and drone stations do you need to protect your territory from wildfires?
A quick estimation tool for designing a wildfire surveillance system with an IoT sensor network and an autonomous thermal drone. Enter the area to protect and the characteristics of the territory: you get a real-time pre-sizing of the network and of the aerial coverage.
Estimate the sensor network and drone coverage for your area
Results update in real time. The sizing is indicative: the final design requires a technical site survey and a radio propagation study.
Site parameters
Adjust the values to your territory.
Network composition
Sizing based on the manufacturer's reference parametersSystem capacity
Operating parameters of the sized networkNeed a precise sizing?
The DroneBase team carries out the technical site survey, imports your site map into the official planning tool and prepares a dedicated quote with the GPS positioning of the devices.
What the calculator sizes
A wildfire surveillance system combines a ground sensor network, which detects the fire in its initial smouldering phase, with a drone-in-a-box station that verifies the alarm from the air. The calculator estimates how many components of each type are needed for the given area.
IoT wildfire detection sensors
Autonomous nodes attached to trees that detect the pyrolysis gases produced by the initial combustion. Density depends on human activity and on the risk level of the area.
- Detection range 80–100 m
- Solar powered, 15-year lifetime
- Density from 0.1 to 0.7 sensors per hectare
Mesh gateways and uplink gateways
Mesh gateways collect sensor data over the LoRaWAN network; uplink gateways send the alarms to the cloud via mobile network, Ethernet or satellite link.
- Up to 100 sensors per mesh gateway
- 2–3 km range between nodes
- Up to 20 mesh gateways per uplink
Drone-in-a-box station with thermal drone
A thermal drone housed in an automatic station flies scheduled patrols and takes off automatically when the sensors raise an alarm, to verify and locate it.
- Autonomous 24/7 patrols
- Automatic response to sensor alarms
- Coverage of about 70 km² per station
How we get to the final sizing
The calculator is the first step. The detailed design comes from the site survey and the analysis of the actual site.
Online estimate
Enter the area size, type of territory and terrain profile. You get the indicative number of sensors, gateways and drone stations in real time.
Technical site survey
The DroneBase team scouts the site, carries out the radio propagation study and imports the map into the manufacturer's official planning tool.
Design and dedicated quote
You receive the GPS positioning of the devices, the installation plan and a dedicated quote, as a purchase or as a service with operations centre.
From pre-sizing to the operational solution
The system can be purchased and managed in-house, or delivered by DroneBase as a service, with operations centre and BVLOS operations.
Autonomous drones for wildfire prevention
The integrated system: IoT sensor network, thermal drone in an automatic station, autonomous patrols and alarm verification. Discover the architecture, applications and references.
Discover the solution Drone as a ServiceBVLOS drone operations centre with LUC
Surveillance delivered as a service: operations managed by the DroneBase operations centre, with no in-house flight crew and no direct handling of authorisations.
Discover the DaaS serviceFAQ about the calculator and sizing
How accurate is the calculator's estimate?
It is an indicative pre-sizing based on the reference parameters of the official Dryad technical documentation (v4.6.4): sensor density by type of territory, sensors-to-mesh-gateway ratio and mesh-gateway-to-uplink ratio. The final number depends on the actual morphology of the site and is determined through a site survey and a radio propagation study.
Why does the terrain profile change the number of gateways?
Mesh gateways communicate by radio and need mutual line of sight. On hilly or mountainous terrain more repeaters are needed to cover shadow zones: the calculator applies a correction factor, estimated by DroneBase, that increases from flat to mountainous terrain.
What is the difference between a mesh gateway and an uplink gateway?
The mesh gateway collects sensor data and forwards it to other nodes in the network. The uplink gateway is the exit point to the cloud, via mobile network, Ethernet or satellite link. Each uplink can serve up to 20 mesh gateways; a backup uplink is recommended for critical sites.
Is the drone-in-a-box station mandatory?
No. The sensor network works on its own. The drone station adds automatic aerial verification of alarms and scheduled thermal patrols, reducing false positives and localisation times. You can include or exclude it in the calculator.
Who installs the system and how long does it take?
Installation and commissioning are carried out by DroneBase. The times shown by the calculator are rough estimates proportional to the number of sensors; the final schedule is agreed after the site survey.
Can I buy the system or receive it as a service?
Both options are available: purchase with staff training, or Drone as a Service with operations managed by the DroneBase operations centre. The dedicated quote is built around the site and the chosen operating model.
Can I see the system in operation before deciding?
Yes. You can request a demo of the system and of the management platform using the form at the bottom of the page or the "Request a Demo" button.
Turn the estimate into a detailed design
A DroneBase consultant analyses your area, checks the sizing and defines with you the most suitable operating model: purchase or service.
Why DroneBase
Since 2012, Europe’s reference point for professional UAV technology
DJI Super Gold Dealer, the only one in Europe. Headquarters, warehouse, service centre and demo area in Rimini, Italy: you see the system working before you buy it, and this is where it comes back for maintenance and updates.
- ISO 9001 certified — certified quality in sales, training and service
- Training with certified instructors — DroneBase Academy, pilot certificates and STS scenarios
- Technical and regulatory consulting on complex scenarios, ENAC and EASA
- R&D for complex projects and tailor-made integrations
- Full support, before and after the sale, with a dedicated technical contact
Let's size your wildfire detection system
Fill in the form: the summary of the calculated sizing is automatically attached to your request. One of our specialists takes charge of your request and gets back to you with the technical and commercial information and, if needed, to arrange a consultation or a demo. No obligation.
