FireSwarm

B.C.-based FireSwarm Solutions is using jet-powered, ultra-heavy-lift drones to battle wildfires—even overnight. Founded after CEO Alex Deslauriers lost his property in the 2023 Gun Lake wildfire, the startup coordinates drone swarms to suppress fire hotspots when conventional aircraft are grounded.

A finalist for Startup of the Year at the 2025 BC Tech Awards, FireSwarm has raised $1.1 million and secured pilots in Kelowna and Sweden. Backed by NRC IRAP and NorthX, it’s tackling deep-tech challenges with global ambition and local urgency. “We’re building something that matters,” says Deslauriers.

Want to know more? Check out the source code on Techcouver.

In 2024, wildfires scorched one million hectares across British Columbia, prompting evacuations for over 15,000 properties. To combat this growing crisis, Squamish-based FireSwarm Solutions is developing AI-powered drone swarms for wildfire mitigation. This month, FireSwarm partnered with Strategic Natural Resource Group, the largest Indigenous-owned resource consultancy in Western Canada.

The collaboration aims to strengthen early attack capabilities, especially during remote and nighttime operations. “This is a generational leap in safety,” said Strategic CEO Domenico Iannidinardo. FireSwarm’s autonomous, heavy-lift drones could soon become a standard firefighting tool in hard-to-access zones.

Want to know more? Check out the source code on Techcouver.