AI Drone Swarms Fight Wildfires: UK Fire Service Trial

Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service in North West England is testing AI drone swarms that can autonomously detect wildfires, communicate with each other, and drop fire retardant or water—without a pilot guiding each aircraft. Developed with the University of Bristol, the swarm technology responds to a sharp rise in UK wildfires and could transform how firefighters tackle increasingly destructive blazes.

Why UK Wildfires Are Getting Bigger

Climate change is making UK wildfires larger, hotter and more frequent. According to the National Fire Chiefs Council, England recorded 44,000 wildfires in 2022, a 72% year-on-year increase. Lancashire's own experience illustrates the stakes: an 18 square kilometre moorland blaze near Bolton in 2018 took 41 days to extinguish.

Tim Murrell, who has spent 37 years with Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service, says the trend is unmistakable. Wildfires are becoming bigger and more intense. We also have to fight house fires that start more quickly because of drought and heat. Climate change has a big effect on our work.

The growing pressure has pushed fire services to explore UK wildfire prevention strategies that rely less on ground crews and more on early detection and rapid response.

How AI Drone Swarms Work

The swarm is inspired by nature. Such a swarm is inspired by nature, explains Georgios Tzoumas of the University of Bristol. Just as you see birds flying in groups through the air: a collective mechanism that shares information with each other. There is not one leader and yet they do not collide. We can do that with drones: multiple drones working together and communicating in the air.

Each drone is programmed with its flight altitude and search area. Onboard AI processes thermal and optical images to detect fire and understand that a blaze has started. The swarm then sends suggestions to firefighters monitoring the operation from a screen—for example, We see fire, shall we get closer?

Researchers from the University of Bristol swarm engineering team say the system learns from previous missions, improving fire prediction using wind direction, terrain and historical data.

Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service Trial

Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service has already tested the technology in Cornwall. A week-long trial at Predannack Airport used one large Windracers ULTRA drone capable of carrying 100kg of fire retardant alongside three smaller drones equipped with radar for spotting hotspots. The swarm successfully identified and approached controlled fires.

Tzoumas has flown up to 13 drones in a single swarm formation so far, and expects that number to reach 20 or 30 in the near future. What we ultimately want to achieve, says Murrell, is that the swarm's artificial intelligence can estimate which way the fire will go, using wind direction and the layout of the area.

Different drone types can be mixed in one swarm: large aircraft carrying 50 to 100 kilograms of material, and small light drones with better radar to find hotspots.

Human Oversight and Military Parallels

Despite the autonomy, a human coordinator always remains in the loop. The drones can propose a plan, but fire personnel can override priorities at any time.

Autonomous drone swarm technology is also being tested by militaries worldwide. NATO, the US and Chinese armies have published videos of swarm experiments, and European defence companies have demonstrated one operator controlling up to 18 drones simultaneously. Tzoumas, who grew up in Greece where wildfires came close to his home, says he wants only to support firefighters and prevent wildfire damage.

Impact and Future Implications

Early detection means fires are smaller when crews arrive, making them easier to stop. If regulators approve the technology, autonomous drone swarms could be deployed across the UK in the coming years, offering a cost-effective first-response layer against a growing climate threat.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are AI drone swarms? AI drone swarms are groups of drones that use artificial intelligence to coordinate autonomously, sharing information and making collective decisions without a single leader.

How do AI drones fight wildfires? They fly search patterns, use thermal and optical sensors to detect fires, communicate with each other, and drop fire retardant or water on hotspots.

How many drones can fly in a swarm? University of Bristol researcher Georgios Tzoumas has flown up to 13 drones in one swarm and expects 20–30 in the near future.

Why is the UK using drone swarms for wildfires? UK wildfires increased 72% year-on-year to over 44,000 in 2022, driven by climate change, pushing fire services to seek faster early-detection tools.

Is a human still in control? Yes, a human coordinator always monitors the swarm and can override its decisions and set priorities.