Dryad Networks, the leader in ultra-early wildfire detection technology, today announced a major achievement in the finals of the Autonomous Wildfire Response track of XPRIZE Wildfire, a four-year, $11 million global competition accelerating new solutions to end destructive wildfires.
Competing against just two other finalists selected from an original field of nearly 300 teams worldwide, Dryad successfully demonstrated the integrated capabilities of its Silvanet wildfire detection network and Silvaguard autonomous firefighting drone system during final testing in remote Alaska.
The XPRIZE Wildfire finals challenged teams to autonomously detect and suppress a wildfire without any human intervention across a vast 1,000 square kilometer test area in Alaska in June 2026. During the competition, Dryad’s Silvanet wildfire sensors detected a small wildfire within minutes of ignition and triggered an autonomous response from the company’s Silvaguard drone system, which located and attacked the fire without human involvement.
“This achievement is one of the proudest moments in Dryad’s history,” said Carsten Brinkschulte, CEO and Co-Founder of Dryad Networks. “To stand among the final three teams in the world and demonstrate a fully autonomous system that can detect and respond to wildfire ignitions within minutes validates the technology, vision, and dedication of our entire team. The performance of both Silvanet and Silvaguard exceeded our expectations under extremely challenging conditions,” Brinkschulte added. “The competition validated that ultra-early detection combined with rapid autonomous suppression can fundamentally change how society fights wildfires. Detecting fires within minutes and extinguishing them before they become catastrophic is no longer a vision for the future. It is a reality.”
The winner of the XPRIZE Wildfire competition is expected to be announced in September 2026. However, Dryad views its successful performance in the finals as a significant milestone in the global effort to prevent catastrophic wildfires and protect communities, ecosystems, and critical infrastructure.
About Silvanet
Silvanet is Dryad’s fully industrialized, solar-powered wildfire detection network designed to identify wildfires within minutes of ignition in remote forests and wildlands. The system is built around the Silvanet Wildfire Sensor, an AI-enabled environmental sensor that continuously monitors volatile organic compounds (VOC), carbon monoxide (CO), and particulate matter (PM2.5) associated with the earliest stages of wildfire ignition.
The sensors communicate through the company’s proprietary Silvanet Mesh Network and direct-to-satellite connectivity, enabling reliable operation even in remote regions without cellular coverage. Silvanet has already been deployed by more than 50 customers worldwide, and more than 30,000 sensors have been manufactured and deployed across forests, critical infrastructure, and wildfire-prone landscapes globally.
About Silvaguard
Silvaguard is Dryad’s next-generation autonomous wildfire suppression platform designed to stop wildfires while they are still small and manageable.
The system consists of two autonomous drone platforms:
The Silvaguard Observation Drone automatically launches when a Silvanet sensor detects a potential wildfire. Equipped with infrared and optical imaging systems, it rapidly locates and precisely geolocates the fire while providing instant situational awareness.
The Silvaguard Suppression Drone autonomously deploys up to 100 liters of fire suppressant directly onto the ignition point, enabling rapid extinguishment of small fires before they can spread out of control.
Together, Silvanet and Silvaguard create an end-to-end autonomous wildfire prevention system capable of detecting, locating, and suppressing wildfires within minutes, helping communities worldwide move from reactive firefighting to proactive wildfire prevention.
About Dryad Networks
Dryad Networks mission is to detect wildfires in their earliest stages and enable autonomous suppression before they become catastrophic. Dryad’s solutions protect forests, communities, critical infrastructure, and the climate from the growing threat of wildfires.
Contacts
The Silvaguard Suppression Drone can deliver a 100 liter liquid suppressant to autonomously suppress small wildfires detected by Silvanet
Dryad Silvaguard Observation Drone flying. The drone can autonomously fly to a wildfire detected by a Silvanet Wildfire Sensor and precisely geolocate the fire with infrared sensors.
Dryad Silvanet Sensor detecting wildfires within minutes from ignition with embedded AI and gas sensors.
Silvanet Mesh Gateway enabling large-scale deployment of Silvanet Sensors in remote forests using solar power and LoRaWAN networking.