Zhaodan Kong Awarded CITRIS-CDSS Innovation Fellowship to Advance Early Wildfire Detection
Associate Professor of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Zhaodon Kong of the University of California, Davis, will bring a sensor network for early wildfire detection from the lab to the wildlands, thanks to a new award.
The Center for Information Technology Research in the Interest of Society and the Banatao Institute, or CITRIS, and the UC Berkeley College of Computing, Data Science, and Society, or CDSS, with support from the Academic Innovation Catalyst, has selected Kong as one of five recipients for the 2025 CITRIS-CDSS Innovation Fellowship and AIC Award.
Kong’s project, FireFly, is an AI-assisted ground-air wildfire early warning system. Existing optical systems typically detect fires only once smoke or flames are visible, often after containment has become more difficult and dangerous. The core challenge remains early, reliable detection in the first moments of combustion.
FireFly is designed for rapid verification. A distributed network of ground-based chemical “tripwire” sensors detects early combustion signatures, such as carbon monoxide and volatile organic compounds. When a potential fire is identified, the system automatically dispatches a long-endurance drone equipped with gas sensors, thermal and optical cameras, and onboard AI to confirm or dismiss the alert within minutes.
The project will develop a full prototype for pilot deployment with the Grass Valley Fire Department in northeastern California, demonstrating a scalable, affordable path to earlier wildfire detection across wildland–urban interface regions.
“With support from CITRIS, FireFly can make the transition from research to real-world impact,” Kong said. “Partnering directly with the Grass Valley Fire Department allows us to design a system that fits how firefighters actually operate in the field and how communities respond to wildfire risk. We believe this project can demonstrate the first low-cost early wildfire detection system capable of providing verified ignition alerts within minutes, paving the way for scalable, statewide deployment.”
The CITRIS-CDSS Innovation Fellowship and AIC Award aims to transform faculty-developed research into viable commercial solutions for some of society’s most critical concerns. Each awardee receives up to $200,000 over two years and access to the CITRIS Foundry incubator to help move their work from the laboratory to the market.
“At its core, this program is about advancing technology that serves the public good,” said Matt Sonsini, principal and co-founder of AIC and member of the CITRIS advisory board. “The ingenuity of UC faculty combined with the right support, resources and pathways to scale has the power to turn breakthrough research into solutions that address society’s most pressing challenges.”
