Helicopter Logistics has been engaged by the ECU IGNIS project.
The project is being led by Edith Cowan University (ECU), in collaboration with The University of New South Wales (UNSW), The University of Adelaide, University of Technology Sydney (UTS), University of Canberra, and The University of Newcastle. The Ignis Project will collaborate with NASA to study lightning events and fire from the ground, air and space.
“As part of our expansion, we have added an Airvan to our fleet that has been modified with a camera hole in the belly of the aircraft to enable mounting of various cameras and sensors, and this is exactly what the project requires. With our extensive experience in land management in the South West of WA with DBCA, we understand the devastating impact that lightning strikes can have when creating bushfires. From that perspective it is particularly pleasing to be working with the ECU team on this important project” said Matt Corbett, Managing Director and Chief Pilot.
“Our work commenced in January 2025 and concludes in 12 months. Two researchers will be on board with our pilots whilst undertaking fire mapping and lightning strike tracking to build the dataset for the project.”
Professor Paulo de Souza, Principal Investigator of IGNIS, officially launched the project at the Indo-Pacific Space and Earth Conference held in Perth on the 24th of November 2024.
“We are using space technology to study thunderstorms, the lightning strikes that result in fires which in the Australian landscape can be devastating and deadly,” ECU School of Engineering, Executive Dean, Professor Paulo de Souza said.
“This project is called IGNIS, which means fire in Latin and the research we develop will be relevant to scientists and our most vulnerable communities.”
For more information on the project please see Six Australian universities to join forces with NASA to study lightning and fire.
Also see SBS News – IGNAS