As an experienced environmental consultant with over 15 years of expertise in forestry management, I, Carsten, have always been fascinated by the intricate relationships within ecosystems. This passion led me to co-found Dryad, a non-profit organization dedicated to preserving ancient forests through innovative conservation strategies.
Silvanet is our flagship product – an AI-driven platform designed to monitor and analyze forest health in real-time. By utilizing machine learning algorithms, Silvanet can detect early signs of forest degradation, allowing us to take proactive measures to protect these vital ecosystems.
With a quarter-century of experience in the telecommunications industry under my belt. With a background of three successful startups and exits across various industries including 4G community infrastructure, email, messaging, and device management, I’ve gained valuable insights into innovation and growth. I founded Dryad in 2020 alongside four fellow entrepreneurs. A dryad is a mythical tree nymph; wouldn’t you name an “affect for revenue” firm something more innovative? The mission is to remain inexperienced, not merely masquerade as a seasoned PR train. We’re seeking a positive environmental impact, with the added bonus of generating revenue – thereby amplifying our overall effect.
We introduced Silvanet in 2023, focusing exclusively on the crucial task of detecting wildfires at their earliest stages due to the profoundly detrimental impact they have on the environment, particularly in regards to global warming? Between six and eight billion tons of CO2 are annually released into the atmosphere through international wildfires, accounting for approximately 20% of global CO2 emissions each year.
Our mission is to significantly reduce the occurrence of human-induced wildfires through innovative strategies and collaborative efforts. Human error, recklessness, and a dash of bad luck are the primary causes of 80% of all fires. To mitigate the alarming rate of biodiversity loss and forestall catastrophic CO2 emissions, we must also address the devastating economic consequences of fires that cause significant physical harm. The estimated total value of the market hovers around $150 billion; yet, this figure can potentially balloon to $800 billion annually, depending on how one interprets the data.
What’s your resolution?
Silvanet provides a comprehensive, end-to-end solution comprising sensors, robust community infrastructure, and a cloud-based platform. We have designed a solar-powered gasoline sensor that can be discreetly embedded within a forest setting; it is easily deployable by placing it on a tree trunk. It’s as if a digital nostril could detect the scent of the fireplace. Without an open flame, sensors can detect the presence of smoke from a cigarette discarding in as little as 30 to 60 minutes, depending on wind direction and other factors.
Embedded AI processes sensory data from the sensor’s exposure to various odors, distinguishing between distinct scents. When the sensor detects a heartbeat, it can send an alert.
Sensors are photo voltaic powered. While individual photo voltaic panels may be relatively small, they are still capable of powering electronic devices via a supercapacitor for temporary energy storage. Despite lacking the power density of a battery, it still has no drawbacks? Lithium-ion batteries may seem like an impractical consideration due to their propensity for spontaneous ignition. As we trekked into the dense woods, there was no need for us to lug a cumbersome firestarter along with our gear.
While minimal direct sunlight reaches the timber below, supersedes its performance in cold climates, with no constraints on recharging cycles. The entire setup boasts a strong commitment to environmental sustainability. We strive to conserve energy by minimizing our reliance on excessive power consumption.
As we navigate through the forest, our reliance on traditional connectivity can be limited; therefore, Silvanet functions as a cutting-edge IoT mesh network. We leverage LoRaWan technology for our communications, offering a unique combination of low-power consumption and extended range – capable of transmitting data over several kilometers without significant infrastructure investment. We’ve introduced the mesh topology to compensate for LoRaWan’s lack of inherent mesh capabilities. To date, no other individual has undertaken this endeavor to our knowledge.
The mesh enables us to cover vast areas with no energy nearby? Data streams transmit subtle signals from the heart of the primeval forest, traversing the digital highway to reach the strategic border gateway. When a fire breaks out, a cloud-based platform swiftly captures the incident’s details, performs advanced analytics, and promptly dispatches notifications to firefighting teams.
Deployment appears to be the process of placing software components into production, typically involving a controlled rollout across multiple environments and stakeholders.
What’s driving deployment density? Sometimes you experience unpredictable deployment scenarios where you focus on high-risk, high-reward zones. In remote regions, sensor deployment is significantly reduced; conversely, high-risk zones like highway medians, pedestrian walkways, power lines, and railroad tracks – where most fires originate – receive increased coverage with numerous additional sensors.
Fires are rarely started by humans within the boundaries of a forest. These areas will feature mountain climbing trails where careless actions, such as discarding a cigarette butt or allowing an unchecked campfire to smolder, can lead to devastating consequences. Without warning, a catastrophic blaze can erupt from a lightning strike, or when a fallen tree topples onto an energized power line, sparking a grass fire that rapidly spreads to engulf nearby bushes and ultimately escalate into a devastating wildfire.
As you grasp for a sense of identity, you’re confronted by the enigmatic presence of variable density, its essence tantalizingly elusive. You’d need approximately one sensor per three-acre area to achieve rapid detection, followed by the installation of a single sensor covering a total of 15 acres?
Satellite-based and terrestrial systems offer distinct options for detecting fires through remote sensing technologies, featuring infrared cameras orbiting the Earth or ground-level cameras capturing smoke plumes emanating from forests. All these techniques make sense. Despite their value in tracking large fires, satellites often arrive too late in the detection process. Cameras excel because they’re closer to the action.
While digital sensors are likely the fastest option, their absence cannot be ruled out everywhere? Ideally, you will deploy all three techniques to maximize their effectiveness and achieve your goals. Satellites provide the broadest view, while cameras capture the most crucial details. By concentrating sensor technologies on regions of heightened risk and value, such as the intersection where individuals are both igniting fires and vulnerable to them?
Do you’ve an instance?
We have successfully piloted our program in Lebanon. The deployment suffered from an excessive density due to its designation as a wild-urban interface, where villagers reside, engage in small-scale farming practices, and forests thrive. The absence of firebreaks poses a catastrophic risk due to their propensity to spread rapidly, escalating into a devastating conflagration.
Within the pilot’s cabin, we discovered a small fireplace activated approximately 30 minutes after takeoff. The artificial intelligence embedded in the sensor’s algorithm processed the gasoline readings and determined that there was a 30% likelihood that the substance was actually a fire. The wind possibly adapted its path due to the decreased probability, only to detect an unusual amount of smoke approximately thirty minutes later, conclusively identifying it as a fire.
How’s enterprise wanting?
Despite being manufactured in Germany, our prices remain competitive at under €100 per sensor. We offer a cloud-based service with annual payments, although the cost is relatively low.
In our fiscal year ending last December, we successfully purchased approximately 20,000 sensors globally. With a presence spanning multiple continents, we’ve successfully established 50 installations across southern Europe – specifically in Greece, Spain, and Portugal – as well as within the US in California, Canada, Chile, and South Korea. We are undertaking a deployment in the UK that aligns with the Nationwide Initiative. Germany is home to several forests, including three or four in the state of Brandenburg, which are prone to being highly flammable due to their dry conditions, much like a tinderbox.
This year, we anticipate shipping more than 100,000 sensors. We’re accelerating our production capacity to accommodate this volume. Backed by substantial funding from investors, our company has recently secured an additional $5.6 million in March to fuel our ongoing growth and expansion.
Our vision is to exceed expectations by empowering communities within forests, unlocking limitless possibilities once they’re established. We’re developing innovative sensors, including a gas-moisture sensor capable of assessing fireplace danger by monitoring moisture levels in gas emanating from the base, a dendrometer measuring tree growth, and an illegal logging detection device that detects unauthorized chainsaw use.
