Drones carrying explosives to help Alaska with avalanche mitigation

The Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities (DOT&PF) says it has successfully tested how drones can be used to enhance safety and efficiency in avalanche mitigation efforts by triggering two man-made slides.

Traditional avalanche mitigation programs reduce risk by using explosives or other methods to trigger controlled avalanches. The aim is to diminish potential hazards before they become large enough to cause significant damage to transportation corridors, utility infrastructure, and ski areas.

But the manual practice requires workers to venture into hazardous, avalanche-prone terrains. Not only is the process perilous but it is further characterized by unpredictability due to dependence on human judgment and physical intervention.

As such, Alaska now strives to adopt Remote Avalanche Control Systems (RACS), which are fixed-position detonation installations, commonly used in mountainous areas to protect infrastructure from natural avalanches.

But even these RACS are not feasible or economical everywhere. And this is where explosives-laden drones come into the picture.

Last month, Alaska DOT&PF collaborated with the Alaska Railroad Corporation (ARCC) to deploy and detonate two CIL explosives using a heavy-lift drone. The state agencies used Drone Amplified‘s Drone Avalanche Reduction Technology (DART) for the job.

Drone Amplified specializes in land management solutions. The company is credited with revolutionizing wildland firefighting also through its IGNIS drone-based aerial ignition system.

Nevertheless, using the DART system came with significant regulatory challenges because the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has stringent requirements when it comes to the carriage of dangerous weapons.

So, now, in a bid to support the wider adoption and development of drone-based avalanche control systems, Alaska DOT&PF plans to share all FAA waiver and approval documentation required for such operations. This will provide a blueprint for other states interested in deploying drone technology for avalanche mitigation.

As Timothy Glassett, DOT&PF avalanche and artillery program manager, sums up, “This demonstration represents a significant step forward in avalanche risk reduction for our public highways.”

Learn more about the project in the video below:

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