Pano AI Launches Drone Partner Program to Connect Wildfire Detection, Real Time Operating Picture, and Aerial Response
A new program that connects drones and autonomous aircraft to Pano's platform — launching with Seneca, Rain, BRINC, and
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SAN FRANCISCO, Nov. 04, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Pano AI, the leader in AI-powered wildfire detection, today launched its Drone Partner Program at the Red Sky Summit, connecting drone and autonomous aircraft systems to Pano’s Rapid Detection platform so a verified wildfire detection can coordinate the effective dispatch of aerial response to both suppression and increase situational awareness. The program launches with four inaugural partners – Seneca, Rain, BRINC, and Censys Technologies, spanning autonomous suppression and public-safety drone operations.
Pano’s role in enabling wildfire response continues to accelerate; the platform now protects more than 95 million acres across U.S. 18 states. The Drone Partner Program is the next step: a way for the growing field of drones and autonomous aircraft to connect into Pano, so a detection can move straight to the aircraft and crews that respond, instead of stalling between separate tools. The goal is to accelerate fire suppression innovation and help bring the best solutions forward. This is a significant leap forward in both wildfire suppression and advanced situational awareness.
The program builds on Pano’s expanding footprint in the field. In 2025, Pano alerted on 735 vegetation fires and was the first known alert approximately 60% of the time, drawing on a training database of over 6 billion images and seven patents spanning panoramic imaging, geolocation, and map-based visualization. Pano’s Incident API, already in use across its utility deployments, gives partners a standard way to integrate without requiring additional custom engineering on either side.
Here’s how it works:
- Pano provides early detection and triangulates the incident’s location
- Then, in coordination with the customer, Pano automatically alerts the drone provider passing along the wildfire alert, including triangulated coordinates
- The drone provider deploys their technology as appropriate in coordination with emergency responders
“Detecting a fire early has always been the first step in an important chain of suppression and response,” said Sonia Kastner, co-founder and CEO of Pano AI. “Our goal is to provide not only a fast accurate alert, but to also facilitate a technology ecosystem responders can build upon, so that the moment a fire is spotted the right resources can see it, reach it, and act on it together.”
Drone Partner Program Launch Partners:
- Seneca builds autonomous, AI-powered aircraft that detect and suppress wildfires within 10 minutes of ignition. Together, Seneca and Pano are giving the Aspen Fire Protection District another set of eyes in the mountains and a faster path from detection to suppression. When Pano detects a new ignition and pinpoints its location, it alerts Seneca’s autonomous aircraft to attack the fire from the air within minutes, helping crews contain small fires before they become major incidents.
- Rain’s AI firefighting pilot upgrades existing aircraft with autonomous wildfire suppression capabilities, enabling rapid aerial containment during the earliest stages of ignition.
- BRINC builds public-safety drones and Drone as First Responder (DFR) solutions, used by more than 1,000 first-responder agencies across North America.
- Censys Technologies provides Over the Horizon Beyond Visual Line of Sight (OTH BVLOS) drone, specifically empowering utilities with autonomous power line drone inspection systems.
“The window to stop a small ignition before it becomes a major incident can disappear in minutes. The West needs infrastructure built for this current reality. By connecting Pano’s early detection directly to Seneca’s aerial suppression, we can see a fire start, act immediately and get suppression in the air while crews are still making their way in. Every minute we can take out of that response gives firefighters a better chance to protect lives, homes and communities.” Stuart Landesberg, Founder and CEO, Seneca
“Most wildfires don’t begin with a 911 call. That’s the critical gap our partnership with Pano helps close. When a Pano camera detects smoke, a BRINC drone already stationed in the community can deploy directly to the coordinates, assess the situation, and stream live video to incident command. Fire chiefs can then make faster, more informed decisions about deploying resources, based on what they can see rather than what they have to assume.” — David Benowitz, VP of Strategy, BRINC
“Early detection creates a window to act while a fire is still small. By connecting Pano’s fire alerts with Rain’s wildfire mission autonomy, we’re working to help fire agencies get aircraft to the right place quickly and deliver a meaningful suppression response. That connection between early intelligence and rapid aerial response is what could change outcomes.” — Maxwell Brodie, CEO, Rain
“Wildfire mitigation requires more than any single technology. At Censys Technologies, we’re focused on mitigating risks earlier and more accurately through scalable aerial inspections. By working with innovative partners like Pano AI, we create a generational opportunity to deliver a common operating picture for asset intelligence – proactive monitoring and rapid response for wildfires; this delivers a comprehensive approach to protecting communities and critical infrastructure.” – Trevor Perrott, CEO & Co-Founder, Censys Technologies
Program capabilities and availability are subject to commercial partnerships and commercial engagement.
About Pano AI
Pano AI is the leader in AI-powered wildfire detection. Launched in 2020, the company provides advanced early detection and situational awareness solutions to fire agencies, utilities, governments, and private landholders to help protect people, property, and infrastructure from catastrophic wildfires. With deployments across the U.S., Canada, and Australia, Pano AI is building a new standard for real-time wildfire intelligence. To learn more, visit www.pano.ai or follow the company on LinkedIn.
About Rain
Rain, a leader in aerial wildfire containment technology, is helping fire agencies more rapidly suppress wildfires during the earliest stages of ignition, before they grow out of control. Rain adapts autonomous aircraft with wildfire intelligence to rapidly perceive, understand, and suppress wildfires, which enables numerous aircraft to be prepositioned in remote locations resulting in accelerated response time. Developed in tandem with fire professionals, Rain is a privately held company headquartered in Alameda, California. Visit www.rain.aero for more information.
About Seneca
Seneca builds advanced firefighting technology for situations that were previously unsafe, inefficient, or impossible. Based in Sausalito, California, the company develops autonomous heavy-lift drone systems that carry suppressant to the fire line, follow terrain for mapping and vegetation management, and inspect structures and utility infrastructure, with one pilot operating multiple aircraft. Seneca’s systems are designed, built, and sourced in America, and serve fire agencies, utilities, and property owners. The company’s mission is to protect 500 million acres in the U.S. and allied nations by 2035.
About BRINC
BRINC is an American developer of technology in the service of public safety. The company builds a connected ecosystem of tools designed to save lives. BRINC manufactures its products in the US, has co-located R&D and production, and is vertically integrated, controlling the entirety of its supply chain. Over 1,000 public safety agencies and 20%+ of the SWAT teams in the US use its products to de-escalate dangerous situations and safeguard human life. The company is backed by top investors, including Sam Altman, Index Ventures, Motorola Solutions, Dylan Field, Elad Gil, Patrick Shanahan, Julius Genachowski, Shyam Sankar, Alexandr Wang, Bradley Tusk, and Jeff Weiner. For more information visit brincdrones.com.
About Censys Technologies
Censys Technologies delivers the complete BVLOS ecosystem of drone, dock & software solutions that transform aerial data into intelligent asset insight. Manufactured in the United States, Censys systems enable persistent, autonomous operations that empower organizations to see, understand & respond faster. From infrastructure resilience to emergency response, Censys is shaping the future. Visit CensysTech.com for more information.
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