BTÜ has developed a radar that will detect forest fires early.

While forest fire news continues to come from all over Turkey, Bursa Technical University has developed a ‘thermal radar’ for fires. Developed with local resources, the radar can provide early detection of forest fires, allowing intervention without delay to prevent their growth.

Bursa Technical University has developed the ‘DeepWatcher Thermal Radar’ to enable early detection of forest fires. The DeepWatcher Thermal Radar was developed within the framework of university-industry cooperation with the leadership of Prof. Dr. Haydar Özkan, a faculty member of the Department of Computer Engineering at BTU. The mass production of this new technology was carried out by CanvoateGroup. The system, utilizing artificial intelligence, deep learning, and advanced image analysis, enables early detection of forest fires, shortening the response time and preventing the growth of fires. The ‘DeepWatcher Thermal Radar,’ developed with local resources, will take on the task of monitoring forests. The developed system will enable the detection of forest fires at the moment of ignition using both infrared rays and a daytime camera. The radar system, upon detecting a fire, can generate an alarm and transmit the location information of the fire to firefighting teams, allowing them to be directed to the correct location without delay.

Early and Effective Intervention Against Fires

Prof. Dr. Haydar Özkan emphasized that many living beings and green areas suffer damage as a result of forest fires, stating, ‘The thermal radar we have developed will facilitate bringing forest fires under control. As a result, along with reducing the damage to the habitat, both human and material losses can be minimized. Thanks to the DeepWatcher Bispectral Thermal Radar we have developed in collaboration with CanvoateGroup over a period of almost two years, earlier and more effective interventions can be made against forest fires. The effectiveness of firefighting will increase as a natural consequence of the shortened response time, and the time to bring the fire under control will also decrease. With the widespread use of the DeepWatcher Bispectral Thermal Radar, our forests will now be safer.’