Picogrid and MIT MIx win $1.75M program to help first responders put an eye on wildfires
Summary
Picogrid software fuses data from sensors deployed at locations across military bases, uses artificial intelligence to detect threats autonomously, and disseminates information to first responders in real time. EL SEGUNDO, Calif., March 13, 2025 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- Picogrid and Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) Mission Innovation X (MIx) announce they have been selected by AFWERX for an STTR Phase II Contract in the amount of $1.75M focused on helping military and civil authorities respond to wildfires to address the most pressing challenges in the Department of the Air Force (DAF). Jake Jeffries, Technical Program Manager at Picogrid, explained: "Wildfires pose a serious threat to DoD installations, and the military has consistently played a vital role in responding to them across the U.S. Our technology enables Air Force end users, such as fire departments, to deploy compact and portable sensor packages that stream real-time full-motion video back to command centers. The companys technology helps connect humans, sensors, and autonomous vehicles in a single software environment to achieve mission objectives. Since 2019, AFWERX has executed over 6,200 new contracts worth more than $4.7 billion to strengthen the U.S. defense industrial base and drive faster technology transition to operational capability.