A Loft Orbital satellite. Photo: Loft Orbital

Loft Orbital is partnering with SmartSat Cooperative Research Center to demonstrate an AI-powered wildfire detection software on its satellites, the hosted payload operator announced on Wednesday.

The mission is meant to demonstrate the software’s ability to forecast wildfires with hyperspectral analysis. The technology, Loft said, can distinguish smoke from ordinary cloud cover from Low-Earth Orbit (LEO), flagging small blazes that threaten to spread into wildfires.

SmartSat CRC developed the detection model, and is leveraging Loft’s AI-enabled satellites to test it. A Loft Orbital representative told Via Satellite that the demonstration has already begun and will continue over the next several months. The mission is a potential proof of concept for early detection of small smoke signatures, with possible users including emergency services and worldwide wildfire management organizations.

The Australian government will fund the project through SmartSat CRC, a research consortium for the advancement of Australian space sovereignty. Professor Andy Koronios, its CEO, said it aims to develop sovereign space technologies that address Australia’s unique environmental challenges.

“This demonstration onboard Loft’s AI-enabled infrastructure is a vital step in our research,” Koronios said. “It allows us to refine our detection models and prove the technical feasibility of generating low-latency alerts, which will be crucial in order to deliver a fully operational service for fire agencies and emergency services.”