Many startups have targeted the problem of early detection and prevention of wildfires, but Turkey-based ForestGuard's space-based system could give it an edge over its competitors.
ForestGuard, which took to the stage today as part of TechCrunch Disrupt's Startup Battlefield, is a trained architect who witnessed the devastating effects of wildfires across Turkey in 2021 and saw firsthand the need for early detection. It was founded by Muhamed Ali Ornek and Suat Batuhan Esilgar. They say more can be done to detect wildfires in their early stages, and many of the currently available systems, which use thermal sensors and satellites, require the hardware to be within line-of-sight to communicate. I realized that there are limitations.
The co-founders started thinking about a wearable device for trees that would analyze the air and detect fires. They began experimenting with development ports and different sensors, eventually creating over 50 different prototypes. Many used LoRa, a low-power, long-range communication protocol. A first test to see if the sensor can “read” the air? BBQ in their garden.
The results were promising, and ForestGuard conducted its next large-scale test in October 2022 after installing several sensors in southern Turkey. After just three weeks, these sensors sent an alert notification to ForestGuard. The final culprit of the alarm was a person who was smoking a cigarette. This is not ideal forestry activity and cannot be called a wildfire. The team realized that their sensors needed to get smarter.
The company will ultimately read air resistance values in milliseconds, creating a “fingerprint” that shows what's happening in the air around you, such as whether someone is smoking a cigarette or a car is present. I settled on a sensor in a small box powered by solar energy. If there is exhaust gas or a wildfire nearby. This system became known as the “Internet of Trees” or “WoodwideWeb.”
Many of the company's sensors still use LoRa for data communication, but after last year's devastating earthquake in Turkey destroyed ground communications infrastructure, the company began developing sensors that use satellite connectivity. . The company knew it had to be “disaster resilient,” as Esilgar said in a recent interview.
ForestGuard's latest technology is essentially a sensor-to-satellite RF communications system. Broad-spectrum sensors can measure a variety of data, from gas levels to temperature to barometric pressure, to generate fingerprints. The sensor is attached directly to the tree trunk and transmits data to the EchoStar satellite in geostationary orbit. If an emergency is detected, the satellite will ping ForestGuard, the customer, or the relevant authorities to take action. The company explained that satellite connectivity is less expensive than mobile phone network protocols LoRa and GSM because each device transmits very small data packets.
In high-risk areas where there may be nearby manufacturing facilities or high foot traffic, ForestGuard recommends one device per hectare. For low-risk areas, 1 device per 16 hectares and possibly 1 device per 32 hectares. The company's two sensor models (one using LoRa/GSM and one connected to a satellite) currently monitor more than 2 million square meters of forest in Turkey, and are currently being demonstrated in France, Australia, and the United Kingdom. I am.
In addition to wildfires, the company also focused on industrial fire detection earlier this year. ForestGuard's current customers include ministries of forestry, industrial facilities, resort hotels, and insurance companies. The company sells the devices for about $500 or leases them for $250 per year per device with a $100 annual subscription fee.
ForestGuard currently has raised a $1 million seed round to expand its business.