SDG&E, Qualcomm, and UC San Diego Launch Edge AI System for Wildfire and Weather Response

San Diego Gas & Electric, Qualcomm Technologies, and University of California San Diego have introduced Edge Alert Sentinel (EAS), a collaboration that applies artificial intelligence at the edge for wildfire and extreme weather response, announced in a press release.

EAS integrates environmental sensors with edge AI computing to deliver real-time analysis of changing conditions directly at the point of risk. The first system is being installed on Mt. Palomar, where it will analyze wind, weather, and environmental data to improve early detection of wildfire behavior and weather impacts.

The platform runs on Qualcomm’s Dragonwing IQ9 processor, which includes a neural processing unit capable of up to 100 trillion operations per second. Using an MLOps platform from Edge Impulse, the system generates on-device forecasts that can be transmitted to SDG&E’s control center through its private cellular network.

The collaboration combines Qualcomm’s on-device AI and connectivity technologies, SDG&E’s operational and grid expertise, and UC San Diego’s atmospheric data and modeling capabilities. Following the initial deployment, the partners plan to expand the system to additional sites in 2027 after evaluating performance during the upcoming Public Safety Power Shutoff season.