Ember Flash Aerospace Rockets into XPRIZE Wildfire Semi-Finals with AI-Powered Detection System
Built in the aftermath of California’s devastating fires, Ember Flash’s real-time, modular wildfire response system earns global recognition in $11M innovation challenge.
Ember Flash Aerospace Named Semi-Finalist in Global $11M XPRIZE Wildfire Competition
San Diego, CA / July 15, 2025 — At the 2025 Esri User Conference in San Diego, Ember Flash Aerospace Inc. was announced as a semi-finalist in the prestigious $11 million XPRIZE Wildfire competition—a global contest challenging innovators to detect and suppress wildfires within 10 minutes over 1,000 km² of rugged terrain.
With wildfire-related damages now costing the U.S. economy between $394 billion and $893 billion annually, Ember Flash’s mission is both urgent and transformative. The company’s Vigilant system—a network of intelligent sensors, AI decision engines, and precision drones—has impressed XPRIZE judges for its plug-and-play capability, speed, and real-world readiness.
Inside the Innovation: Fast, Modular, and Field-Ready
“We’re proving wildfire resilience isn’t just a science project—it’s engineered speed,” said Joseph Norris, Co-Founder & CEO of Ember Flash. “Our system can spot smoke in seconds and launch suppressants in minutes.”
Their multi-layered platform includes:
- Vigilant Detect: AI-fed sensor nodes using optical and particle detection
- Firewave Acoustic Nodes: Solar-powered devices identifying fire-start sounds
- Vigilant Core: AI engine fusing acoustic, optical, and atmospheric data for triple-verified alerts
- Urban Sky Balloons: Loitering high-altitude balloons offering affordable, wide-area imaging
- FLORIAN® Incident Command: Real-time tracking and response overlay software already trusted by wildfire crews
- Vigilant Raptor UAVs: Autonomous drones that deliver suppressant with unmatched precision—all within the 10-minute XPRIZE window
“This end-to-end response solution collapses the gap between spark and suppression from hours to seconds,” noted Dr. Lee Kohlman, Co-Founder & Chief Science Officer. “That changes everything.”
From Vision to Field-Test
According to Andrea Santy, Program Director at XPRIZE Wildfire, semi-finalists will now be tested through live in-situ demonstrations that demand real-world performance—not theoretical promise.
“Live demos are crucial. This competition is about systems that work under real pressure to deliver real results,” said Santy.
What’s Next
- Semi-Final Trials: 15 global teams, including Ember Flash, will undergo rigorous testing of autonomous detect-to-suppress capabilities
- Pilot Programs: New installations of Vigilant nodes are underway in California’s wildfire-prone zones
- Ecosystem Collaborations: Active integrations with Firewave, Urban Sky, and 3AM Innovations (FLORIAN), plus new partnerships in space-based detection, broadband, and mitigation technologies
About Ember Flash Aerospace
Founded in the wake of the 2020 CZU Lightning Complex fires, Ember Flash Aerospace designs integrated wildfire-mitigation systems combining AI-powered smoke detection, stratospheric imaging, and autonomous UAV response. The company aims to equip every at-risk community with the tools to stop megafires before they start.
