Drone Amplified, a drone technology company launched by faculty from the UNL School of Computing, was a finalist for the “Coolest Thing Made in Nebraska” contest coordinated by the Nebraska Manufacturing Alliance and Nebraska Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
Drone Amplified, which has pioneered the unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) fire management industry with its breakthrough software technology, IGNIS, went all five rounds of the competition before losing out in the finals to the All-Terrain Tracked Wheelchair, a wheelchair that can move through touch terrain to assist disabled hunters, veterans, farmers, and anyone with mobility issues to handle rough terrain.
The ”Coolest Thing Made in Nebraska” began with nominations of about 60 companies, which were shortened to 16 companies competing in a bracket-style tournament. Products had to be manufactured in Nebraska for companies to qualify for the contest. This year’s nominees came from Nebraska communities such as Snyder (Danko Emergency Equipment) and Endicott (INVISI-LUG clay pavers) to as large as Lincoln.
Drone Amplified was co-founded by Carrick Detweiler, professor of computing, and is used to manage wildfires and controlled burns using drone technology to help keep firefighters and first responders safe.