California Student Awarded $15K Navy Scholarship for AI Based Early Wildfire Detection Innovation

A high school student from Newport Coast, California, is being recognized by the Office of Naval Research for developing a cutting-edge solution to detect wildfires before they spread out of control.

Ryan Honary received a $15,000 Chief of Naval Research (CNR) Scholarship Award at the 2025 Regeneron International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF) for his project, “An AI-Driven Thermodynamics Based IoT Sensor Network for the Ultra-Early Detection of Wildfires Without Line of Sight View of Fire.” His design uses a network of AI-powered sensors to identify heat anomalies and other environmental changes in remote, high-risk ignition areas—even when flames aren’t visible.

The system is already being tested in California. In a recent post, Honary thanked the City of Irvine and the Orange County Fire Authority for supporting additional deployments of the sensors in wildfire-prone zones between Irvine, Newport Beach, and Laguna Beach. These areas, according to Honary, have limited cellular coverage and are outside the field of view of many wildfire camera systems. His sensors fill that gap, providing “initial warnings for wildfires in an incipient stage.”…

Story continues

TRENDING NOW

LATEST LOCAL NEWS