Tekniam showcases the RUCS to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection

Tekniam was invited by the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (Cal Fire) to demonstrate the Remote Universal Communication System (RUCS). Cal Fire is the agency that is responsible for protecting over 31 million acres of wildland in the State of California. In 2023 alone, California experienced more than 7000 wildfires which burned almost 325,000 acres of forest land.

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The process for review of technology with Cal Fire is extensive. Tekniam met initially with the agency for a demonstration with Q&A in Sacramento. A follow-up test was conducted along with the team that evaluates new technologies. This was performed in the Sierra Nevada in northern California.

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The day and a half exercise included scouting locations on one afternoon and running the test the next day. A base camp was established for the home node with the RUCS and a Starlink system.

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The crew drove around a canyon to a position on a ridge for a second node. A second Distribution Module was set up with a line of site to the home base. The distance between the two points was calculated at 2+ miles. Once connection was established, the team was able to connect with agency representatives with a full broadband signal. A call with Tekniam CEO, Andrew Heaton, allowed Cal Fire to confirm call quality and ask further questions.

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A third node was created back on the other side of the canyon at a higher location, which created a ‘V-shaped’ wireless network, 3+ miles in length. From here, one of the crew launched a drone with video camera to survey the surrounding area.

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Team members confirmed that this set up would allow fire crews to observe live fire conditions. This could be broadcast to firefighters on the ground, as well as to command operations at the base camp and remotely. This situational awareness could further be incorporated into predictive models, allowing decision-making that is at least partly driven by real-time data.

 

About Tekniam

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Tekniam was founded in 2021 to bring connectivity to the most remote locations in the world. Born out of a partnership with GBA Systems Engineering, an engineering, architectural, construction, and technology firm, Tekniam provides advanced portable, scalable, and secure telecommunications solutions for First Responders, NGOs, Governments, and more. Tekniam is headquartered in Denver, CO and has domestic offices in Lenexa, KS and Charlotte, NC.