Australian scientists say they're nearing a breakthrough that will allow AI-equipped satellites to spotbushfiresfrom space 500 times faster than current techniques allow.A project funded by theSmartSat CRCand led by theUniversity of South Australiahas used cutting-edge onboard AI technology to develop an energy-efficient early fire smoke detection system for South Australia's first cube satellite,KanyiniThe satellite sensor captures reflected light from Earth in different wavelengths to generate detailed surface maps for various applications, including bushfire monitoring, water quality assessment and land management.READ MORE:Treasurer knocks back recession concern but admits Aussies face 'uncertain times'A new AI tool will be able to detect bushfires 500 times faster, scientists say.(Supplied)The AI onboard model also detected fire smoke 500 times faster than traditional on-ground processing."Smoke is usually the first thing you can see from space before the fire gets hot and big enough for sensors to identify it, so early detection is crucial," lead UniSA researcher Dr Stefan Peters said.Using a past fire event in the Coorong region in South Australia as a case study, the simulated Kanyini AI onboard approach took less than 14 minutes to detect the smoke and send the data to the South Pole ground station.READ MORE:Walsh fill-in grabs hat-trick as Maroons have last laughFires can be spotted before they gain dangerous heat.(9News)"This research shows there are significant benefits of onboard AI compared to traditional on-ground processing," Peters said."This will not only prove invaluable in the event of bushfires but also serve as an early warning system for other natural disasters."The research team hopes to demonstrate the onboard AI fire detection system in orbit in 2025 when the Kanyini mission is operational.READ MORE:Australian D-Day veteran shares memories of great invasionThe Aussie inventions that changed the worldView Gallery"Once we have ironed out any issues, we hope to commercialise the technology and employ it on a CubeSat constellation, aiming to contribute to early fire detection within an hour," Peters said.The researchers have published details of their experiment in thelatest issueofIEEE Journal of Selected Topics in Applied Earth and Remote Sensing.FOLLOW US ON WHATSAPP HERE: Stay across all the latest in breaking news, celebrity and sport via our WhatsApp channel. No comments, no algorithm and nobody can see your private details.