Parallel Flight Technologies (“PFT”) has been awarded a Phase 2 Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) grant from the USDA. The $650,000 grant was awarded to PFT and Drone Amplified, the developer of the IGNIS prescribed fire system, to support further development of a large-scale UAS for prescribed fire.

This Phase 2 grant follows recent completion of a Phase 1 grant that demonstrated successful integration of PFT’s heavy-lift aircraft and Drone Amplified’s IGNIS system.

The goal for the Phase 2 grant work is to deliver this large-scale unmanned prescribed fire solution based on PFT’s parallel hybrid technology for use by the US Forest Service and other agencies. PFT rsearch indicates that this UAS will have eight times the payload carrying capacity of the existing solution as well as ten times the flight duration, resulting in more acres managed by prescribed fire at a lower cost and with increased safety for personnel. It will also provide more effective prescribed fire during active wildfires.