Reston, Virginia-based software development firm Ardent Management Consulting (ArdentMC) has announced the launch of a UAS initiative, which will result in the company offering up to 100 hours of free aid in areas of Northern California that have been devastated by wildfires.

During the two-week initiative, ArdentMC will utilize geographic information system (GIS) technology to help assess the damage caused by wildfires that have consumed much of Northern California.

“We have the aerial technology to capture imagery to help bring aid and restoration to the areas impacted by these wildfires,” comments Brandon LaBonte, President and Chief Executive Officer of ArdentMC.

“We are interested in developing our government capabilities for commercial use, and this free program will engage directly with impacted families and commercial operations, while also supporting an area that means a lot to us personally.”

To help assess damage and ultimately restore areas of Northern California, ArdentMC will use UAS for a variety of tasks including storm track visualizations, and providing road closure and infrastructure reports, to name a few things.

Recovery personnel will benefit from the use of mobile GIS applications, as they will be able to identify damage status, and quickly report information to a central location.

ArdentMC uses remote sensing coupled with advanced GIS technology to power development behind UAS programing.