Fire suppression and ignition with unmanned aerial vehicles

A method performed by a control system of an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), the method comprising:

• actuating, using an ignition system of the UAV, one or more delayed-ignition balls of a plurality of delayed-ignition balls stored in a container of the UAV over a site of a prescribed burn and dropping the actuated one or more delayed-ignition balls from the UAV onto the site of the prescribed burn;
• while flying over the site of the prescribed burn, generating a temperature map of at least a portion of the site of the prescribed burn;
• and
• navigating, using the aerial propulsion system, the site of the prescribed burn using the temperature map, wherein navigating the site of the prescribed burn using the temperature map comprises detecting a higher temperature and flying the UAV to a lower temperature to protect the UAV, and
• wherein navigating the site of the prescribed burn using the temperature map comprises developing a new ignition pattern by altering an ignition path to keep the UAV over an unburned area of the site of the prescribed burn.