Composite Sensors are a set of sensing elements and a common hardware platform, customized for forest management and monitoring applications. These composite sensors will be either custom-built or integrated from existing CyRIC portfolio, to match the Green-HIT Intelligent Modules (WP6) sensing and use cases requirement. They must be able to retrieve environmental data (e.g., CO2, temperature, wind speed, humidity etc.), as well as sound/noise levels, approaching thunderstorms and lightning activity and visible/thermal/infrared images. The majority of composite sensors will be based on LoRaWAN communication, with the exception of high-data rate sensors which will use protocols like WiFi or cellular. The sampling frequency and communication of LoRaWAN sensors will be variable and will depend on parameters such as the current readiness level and installed location risk classification. The preliminary design of the sensors will be completed by M8 to produce the first prototypes in M14 for initial testing. The Composite Sensors will be refined and finalized for small-scale batch production of 200 units by M18, ready for use in large-scale pilots (WP7).

The main focus of this task is to design and develop an electric Vertical Take Off and Landing (eVTOL) UAV, used in forest management and the fire prepare and detect modules (WP6, T6.1) for fire management. They will be custom build by CyRIC for use inside and around forest areas, optimized for takeoff and landing in constrained areas, such as forest/fire stations and outposts. These UAVs will have a double role: (a) participate in the two-way verification protocol in order to validate an incident detected by sensors before human intervention, (b) to retrieve data individually AND/OR from remote sensors that cannot directly forward the data as well as retrieve images or any other kind of data from the field. To achieve these roles they will be combined with composite sensors (T4.1) and optimized LoRaWAN gateways (T4.3), depending on the readiness level and mission they need to assume. For the fire reaction module (WP6, T6.1) the use of customized quad/hex-copter UAVs will be employed, given their ability to hover and support operational ground units with eyes-in-the-sky. On top of payload and range customizations, we will investigate the use of fire-resistant materials, LIDAR scanners combined with cm-level RTK GPS unit to accurately depict the fire front, wind speed/direction sensors to profile the air column at different heights near the fire incident. The preliminary design of CODEVELOP-GT/0322 – PART B – TECHNICAL ANNEX 15 the UAVs will be completed by M8 to produce the first prototypes in M14 for initial testing. The UAVs will be refined and finalized for production of final prototypes by M18, ready for use in large-scale pilots (WP7).

This task involves the optimization of communication parameters and settings for wireless end-points (LoRaWAN gateways, sensors and UAVs), directly affecting the system performance. Initially this task will survey and dimension the fixed LoRaWAN gateway network that is required to achieve optimum coverage in forest areas, taking in mind the defined requirements such as sensors per sq.km, expected battery lifetime for composite sensors. Fixed gateways will be either main powered, e.g., from a fire/forest station power, or fully autonomous solar powered units, deployed e.g., on masts and locations without power. It is expected that for a given forest landscape terrain, which is particularly mountainous in Cyprus case, spots with weak or potentially no coverage will be covered using mobile battery powered gateways on VTOL UAVs. This task will also support composite sensor configuration of LoRaWAN parameters, like Rx power and spreading factor that can tune the sensor range vs its battery lifetime.

This task will oversee the testing of each individual development in Tasks 4.1-3 and their interrelations and interfaces within WP4 but also with other WPs. The outcome will ensure the quality of Green-HIT Hardware Components, ready for integration with other parts of the system.