OroraTech

OroraTech is a Germany-based company delivering satellite-based wildfire detection and thermal intelligence, with a network of sensors that monitor the earth’s temperature. OroraTech’s wildfire service currently uses a custom wildfire detection algorithm and data from 20 different satellites in low-Earth orbit (LEO) and geostationary orbit (GEO) to notify users of fires within three minutes. The company operates in Canada, the US, and Brazil, and its wildfire intelligence solution is used by customers across six continents.

In 2022, the company launched its initial thermal sensor, FOREST-1, followed by the commercial sensor, FOREST-2, in June 2023. For an annual subscription fee, Wildfire Intelligence Solution detects over 100,000 fires daily and protects more than 160 million hectares as of November 2022.

The company planned to launch multiple sets of eight satellites in each orbit for comprehensive global coverage by 2024. By 2026, it anticipated expanding the constellation to over 100 satellites, offering high-quality thermal infrared images of the entire planet every half hour. The progression includes achieving 48 Earth scans daily by 2026, starting with one and scaling up to four in 2024.

Key customers and partnerships

• In December 2021, the Green Triangle Fire Alliance (GTFA) signed a pilot contract for OroraTech's Wildfire Intelligence Service.

• In April 2021, OroraTech partnered with Spire to launch its payload on a Spire 6U nanosatellite.

• Isar Aerospace joined forces with OroraTech in September 2021 to launch satellites into space, targeting a Sun-synchronous orbit between 2022 and 2026.

• In March 2022, Rosenbauer and OroraTech formed a strategic partnership to utilize satellite and sensor data for emergency services. In May 2023, the company partnered with Spire Global to work with the Canadian Space Agency (CSA) to deliver preparatory work for implementation phases of a wildfire monitoring satellite.

• OroraTech secured a multi-million contract with the European Space Agency in July 2023 for the Copernicus Contributing Mission using its new thermal sensor network in space. The sensor was used by SOPFEU, the fire agency of Quebec, Canada, in managing more than 150 ongoing fires, and by ARAUCO.

• In July 2022, EarthRanger teamed up with OroraTech to provide crucial wildfire detection and monitoring from space.

• Carbon Credits Consulting joined forces with OroraTech in December 2022 to safeguard Argentine forests through certified carbon offset projects.

• In April 2023, the company partnered with key Tasmanian organizations to enhance bushfire protection. Led by TPWS and joined by the Tasmania Fire Service and Sustainable Timber Tasmania, OroraTech aids in early fire detection and supports firefighting efforts.

• In July 2024, the company secured a EUR 20 million (USD 21.5 million) contract by the Greek Ministry of Digital Governance to develop a national satellite-based wildfire early warning system.