UMN's Shocking AI Drones Could Change Climate Change Forever—Are You Ready for the Impact?

What once symbolized progress—industrial development and transportation advancements—has now become a major contributor to rising global temperatures and environmental instability. As the effects of climate change intensify, impacting daily life, there is a growing chorus of voices from public health advocates, researchers, entrepreneurs, and institutional leaders calling for sustainable change.

At the forefront of these efforts, individuals at the University of Minnesota are championing innovative solutions, from AI-driven technologies to zero-waste initiatives on campus.

Impact of Climate Change

Globally, climate change has affected the livelihoods of millions through increasing droughts, rising sea levels, and devastating wildfires. Since 1993, global sea levels have risen by approximately 97 millimeters (nearly 4 inches), with NASA reporting that the rate of sea level rise has doubled over the past 30 years. In the United States, 2023 has already recorded 28 separate billion-dollar weather and climate disasters, including the destructive firestorm in Hawaii and Hurricane Idalia.

Closer to home, the average temperature in Minnesota has increased by 3.1 degrees Fahrenheit from 1895 to 2023. The average winter low temperatures have risen even more significantly, by 5.8 degrees Fahrenheit during the same period, as noted by Minnesota Climate Adaptation.

“Minnesota, like every other state, is going to experience more extreme weather, now as well as into the future,” said Jesse Berman, an associate professor in the School of Public Health and an environmental epidemiologist. “That can mean different things; it could mean more flooding conditions, drought, heat waves, wildfire, or smoke events. There’s a range of extreme environmental impacts.”

As these effects become increasingly severe, climate change transitions from a distant concern to a pressing global crisis.

Wildfire Crises

Climate change has heightened both the frequency and intensity of wildfires, largely due to rising temperatures and parched vegetation. Minnesota witnesses between 800 and 1,000 wildfires annually, while nationwide, more than 70,000 wildfires occur each year, according to the U.S. Forest Service. Berman points out that wildfire smoke poses a significant climate risk for Minnesota, capable of traveling vast distances to affect local air quality. In 2025, many Minnesotans were advised to remain indoors to avoid smoke from wildfires in Canada.

“Wildfire smoke can also be transmitted very large distances,” Berman added. “These wildfire smoke events that are actually being driven by wildfires are occurring hundreds or even thousands of miles away.”

A recent study links long-term exposure to wildfire smoke to approximately 24,100 deaths per year in the U.S. due to PM2.5 exposure, a type of fine particulate matter that can penetrate deep into the lungs, leading to serious health issues, including respiratory and heart complications.

Jiarong Hong, a professor at the University of Minnesota, emphasized the dangers posed by these airborne particles. “The impact of smoke goes beyond just where it starts because of small particles. … They can be kept suspended in the air for a very long period of time and can be moving hundreds of kilometers away from where they were generated,” he explained.

Vulnerable populations, including older adults, young children, and those with pre-existing health conditions, face the highest risks. Berman noted that outdoor workers, such as farmers and police officers, may also be at increased risk, highlighting that even healthy individuals are not immune to the dangers posed by wildfire smoke and extreme heat.

Innovative Solutions

In response to these challenges, researchers at the University of Minnesota are developing cutting-edge technology to monitor wildfire smoke and its atmospheric movement. Hong is part of a team creating autonomous drone systems designed to detect smoke and assess particle spread in real time. This project addresses significant gaps in existing monitoring systems, which often rely on limited tools such as satellites and fixed weather towers.

“Right now, there are very limited tools to understand, record, and quantify these events,” Hong stated. “It’s hard to track dynamic wildfire events, which change quickly and require high-resolution data to capture their spread.”

The team’s drone system, equipped with advanced cameras and sensors, navigates through smoke plumes, gathering detailed information about particle size and movement. The drones utilize AI and computer vision technology to confirm whether they are detecting smoke and respond accordingly.

Additionally, AI technology is making strides in waste management. Kiril Gantchev, the CEO and co-founder of Ameru, has developed AI-powered waste bins capable of categorizing over 100 types of waste based on material and condition. This innovation aims to minimize human error in waste sorting, thereby increasing landfill diversion rates, which currently hover below 5% in many large facilities.

University Actions

The University of Minnesota is actively working to enhance campus sustainability through recycling and waste reduction initiatives. Kate Nelson, the university's director of campus sustainability for the Twin Cities campus, outlined goals for deeper emissions cuts and long-term resilience planning. Currently, the Twin Cities campus boasts a 52% recycling and composting rate, with 31% recycled, 17% composted, and 4% reused from approximately 19 million pounds of waste managed per year.

Despite progress, challenges persist, particularly in addressing human behavior and contamination. Waste audits reveal that a significant amount of material ending up in landfills could be recycled or composted. Nelson emphasized that sustainability relies on both institutional frameworks and the everyday choices made by students, faculty, and staff.

“The University itself has a lot of great sustainability initiatives, and the zero-waste plan was developed because Students for Climate Justice were upset that their trash was going to the HERC,” said Arwa Alakech, a university student. “They brought those concerns to the sustainability office, which then worked with them to create the initiative.”

Minnesota Weather Whiplash

Residents of Minnesota have long been accustomed to unpredictable weather patterns, but climate experts highlight that data indicates a significant warming trend. State climatologist Kenneth Blumenfeld reported that Minnesota has warmed by about 4 degrees Fahrenheit over the past century, with the majority of this increase occurring in the last 55 years. According to the Minnesota Climate Adaptation website, the state is projected to see temperatures rise by another 3.8 to 4.5 degrees Fahrenheit, alongside an increase in average annual precipitation of about 1.2 inches.

“Minnesota is 85,000 square miles. If you spread an extra inch of precipitation across 85,000 square miles, that’s billions of gallons of water,” Blumenfeld explained. “What seems like a small change actually means billions of extra gallons of water falling onto the state in a typical year that didn’t used to fall.”

Blumenfeld noted that these changes are not uniform across the state, with northern regions warming faster than the south, largely due to longer winters and more extended nights that give greenhouse gases more time to trap heat. He concluded that while Minnesota will not lose winter altogether, the state will face shifting boundaries that redefine what is considered normal.

“There will still be winter. It will still be the cold and dark time of year. It will still snow sometimes,” Blumenfeld stated. “Things that seem extremely cold now may be almost unheard of in the future.”

Berman underscored the importance of awareness among students and younger generations, who will bear the brunt of today’s climate inaction. “Students are the ones who are going to be impacted by it. Your children will be impacted by it, and your grandchildren even more. I just hope all of you keep that recognition and keep that enthusiasm because it’s going to be incredibly important,” he said.