# Using Drones to improve wildfire and forest management

- Show: [The Robot Report Podcast](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-robot-report-podcast)
- Published: 2025-01-31
- Length: 1h 02m
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-robot-report-podcast/2025-01-31-using-drones-to-improve-wildfire-and-forest-management
- Listen: https://soundcloud.com/robot-report-podcast/using-drones-to-improve-wildfire-and-forest-management

## Summary

Erin Linebarger, CEO and co-founder of Robotics88, explains how her company uses autonomous drones to map forest fuel loads for prescribed burns, addressing the limitations of current manual and aerial survey methods. The discussion covers the technical challenges of sub-canopy navigation, the specific sensor suite (LIDAR, thermal) required for accurate data, and the company's roadmap toward aerial ignition capabilities. The episode also touches on the broader robotics industry context, including skepticism around humanoid viability, the economic impact of DeepSeek's AI model, and Amby Robotics' new AI-driven palletizing solution.

## Chapters

- [0:00](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-robot-report-podcast/2025-01-31-using-drones-to-improve-wildfire-and-forest-management#t=0) Introduction and Humanoid Skepticism
- [11:30](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-robot-report-podcast/2025-01-31-using-drones-to-improve-wildfire-and-forest-management#t=690) German Robotics Industry Decline and Amby Stack Launch
- [22:57](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-robot-report-podcast/2025-01-31-using-drones-to-improve-wildfire-and-forest-management#t=1377) DeepSeek AI Model and Market Hype
- [29:51](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-robot-report-podcast/2025-01-31-using-drones-to-improve-wildfire-and-forest-management#t=1791) OneX Acquires Kind Humanoid
- [33:39](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-robot-report-podcast/2025-01-31-using-drones-to-improve-wildfire-and-forest-management#t=2019) Robotics88: Genesis and Prescribed Fire Mission
- [47:31](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-robot-report-podcast/2025-01-31-using-drones-to-improve-wildfire-and-forest-management#t=2851) Drone Technology: Sub-canopy Mapping and Sensors
- [54:20](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-robot-report-podcast/2025-01-31-using-drones-to-improve-wildfire-and-forest-management#t=3260) Future Roadmap and Funding

## Topics

- [Robotics & autonomy](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/robotics-and-autonomy)
- [AI & machine learning](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/ai-and-machine-learning)
- [Sensors & measurement in products](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/sensors)
- [Scaling production](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/scaling-production)
- [Policy, trade & tariffs](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/policy-trade-and-tariffs)

## Most relevant to

early-stage companies

## Mentioned

- Robotics88 (company)
- Unitree (company)
- Amby Robotics (company)
- DeepSeek (company)
- OpenAI (company)
- OneX Technologies (company)
- Kind Humanoid (company)
- Boston Dynamics (company)
- Kuka (company)
- NVIDIA (company)
- Deco (product)
- Echo (product)
- Amby Stack (product)
- Mona (product)
- Atlas (product)

## Related episodes from other shows

- [Climate-Driven Wildfires: Building Faster Fire Response Systems with Andrea Santy](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/hardware-to-save-a-planet/2026-05-07-climate-driven-wildfires-building-faster-fire-response-systems-with-andrea-santy) (Hardware to Save a Planet)
- [Episode 138: Robots in the environment - Stefano Mintchev](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/robot-talk/2025-12-19-episode-138-robots-in-the-environment-stefano-mintchev) (Robot Talk)
- [30. Climate Change AI, Robots Getting You Dressed, Drones Evacuating Nursing Homes](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-next-byte-podcast/2021-08-10-30-climate-change-ai-robots-getting-you-dressed-drones-evacuating-nursing-homes) (The Next Byte Podcast)
- [The Wildfire Suppression System Built to Fight Fire From the Ground | Gadi Benjamini](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/hardware-to-save-a-planet/2026-10-01-the-wildfire-suppression-system-built-to-fight-fire-from-the-ground-gadi-benjami) (Hardware to Save a Planet)
- [Episode Fourteen – Aerial Robotics: taking flight](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/robot-talk/2022-02-25-episode-fourteen-aerial-robotics-taking-flight) (Robot Talk)

## Citing this page

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