We have known the fixed wing drones of Netherlands-based Avy to take to the skies as a means to deliver medical supplies to whichever health centre needs them.

Now we have a chance to know them as wildlife savers; the drone company has just completed several tests with some partners in a national park in Gederland province.

“On February 23^rd and 24^th (this year) we performed several test flights with The North and East Gelderland Safety Region, Safety and Health Region Gelderland-Central & Utrecht Safety Region in Hoge Veluwe National Park,” the company announced. “Together we’re investigating the possibility of using drones to protect large nature reserves. With climate change and the increasing risk of wildfires, rapid detection of wildfires becomes more and more important.

“We equipped our Avy Aera with an infrared and an RGB camera. The heat and smoke of the controlled fire were quickly detected. Our nature-friendly drone passed the noise pollution criteria and blended into her surroundings with her birdlike figure.”

The company also released a video that shows how it collaborated with fire fighting authorities in testing the Avy drone’s infrared capability during a fire.

The hope is to bring in drone-based solutions to add to the other fire-fighting hardware and software at the exposure of national parks and other conservation areas in the country. And the decision for that lies with the Advisory Board of the Veluwe Wildfire Committee, from whom Avy will be hearing in April on whether the trial runs were successful.

In which case there will be more tests to explore the technical possibilities.

Fingers crossed.

That is what Avy literally said.