Research grant will support the development of a large-scale unmanned solution for prescribed fires.

LA SELVA BEACH, CALIFORNIA, UNITED STATES, July 29, 2021 /EINPresswire.com/ — Parallel Flight Technologies (PFT), a leader in heavy-lift drone technology, today announced the receipt of 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 the companies’ 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 proprietary parallel hybrid technology for use by the US Forest Service and other agencies. PFT’s research 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.

Parallel Flight Technologies’ patent-pending parallel hybrid drone technology enables its aircraft to fly ten times longer with a heavy payload than existing electric unmanned systems. Firefly, the company’s first commercial-intent drone, features this new parallel hybrid technology and can carry a payload of 100 pounds for over two hours. The unique hybrid power module technology enables zero operational downtime, providing maintenance as a service (MaaS) for aircraft operators. PFT’s heavy-lift, long flight duration UAS technology can be utilized for prescribed fire as well as a multitude of mission-critical applications, including real-time and complex industrial and healthcare logistics, tactical support for firefighters and first responders, and defense applications.

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About Parallel Flight Technologies
Parallel Flight Technologies is an industrial-grade drone company with a mission to deliver unmanned systems that save lives, property and the environment. Based in La Selva Beach, California, the company has developed patent-pending drone technology that will allow drones to carry heavy payloads for over two hours, making it ideal for use in fighting wildfires, search and rescue, healthcare and other mission-critical logistics applications. To learn more, please visit www.parallelflight.com.

Sara Beth Ashbaugh
Parallel Flight Technologies
sarabeth@parallelflight.com