Silicon Valley High School Team Expands XPRIZE Wildfire Bid with Industry Partners

Combined Next-gen technology could change how the world responds to wildfires

SAN JOSE, Calif., Oct. 8, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Valley Christian Schools (VCS) Wildfire Quest team, the only high school team worldwide to reach the semifinals in the $11M XPRIZE Wildfire competition, has announced new partnerships with Kaizen Aerospace and SensoRy AI. These alliances further bolster the VCS cutting-edge autonomous wildfire response system with proven industry expertise in heavy-lift drones and advanced fire detection technology.

Competing as Wildfire Quest, the San Jose-based student innovators are one of only 15 semifinalist teams in the Autonomous Wildfire Response track of XPRIZE Wildfire. Their mission: to develop a fully autonomous system that detects and extinguishes wildfires in under 10 minutes.

"Wildfire response is one of the most important real-world applications of autonomous flight," says Ziv Marom, Kaizen Aerospace President and Founder. "We're proud to bring Kaizen's technology and experience to this team and to help push the limits of what's possible in the field. We're joining Wildfire Quest as a long-term partner to help turn bold ideas into field-ready capability. We're committed to advancing real tools for firefighters and accelerating this team's impact."

Youth vs. Wildfire: A Global Race for Innovation

Building on their $25,000 Technical Verification award and early successes, the team is now preparing for field testing this fall. By integrating new partnerships with Kaizen Aerospace and SensoRy AI, the students bring professional-grade capabilities into their system, strengthening their ability to detect, prioritize, and suppress wildfires faster than ever before.

"Wildfire Quest is showing the world that age is no barrier to making an impact," said Ryan Honary, Founder of SensoRy AI. "I also started SensoRy AI in high school, so the Wildfire Quest story resonates personally with me. I am very excited that together with SensoRy AI's innovative wildfire detection technology and Wildfire Quest's bold autonomous response platform, we are delivering a cutting-edge end-to-end solution for wildfire detection, notification and suppression."

About Kaizen Aerospace: Heavy-Lift Autonomy for Aerial Suppression

Kaizen Aerospace  contributes proven expertise in heavy-lift autonomous drones—capable of carrying payloads up to 1,000 lb—paired with AI-driven mission navigation via its xNav™ system. For Wildfire Quest, Kaizen provides flight technology, integration support, and operational experience to execute rapid, reliable aerial suppression. Kaizen has joined as a long-term partner, dedicated to advancing next-generation tools for firefighting through and beyond the XPRIZE competition.

About SensoRy AI: Detecting Fires in Minutes, From Miles Away

SensoRy AI , founded by Ryan Honary, provides its patented multi-sensor platform capable of detecting wildfires in their incipient stage from thousands of feet away and reporting them within minutes. 

Developed with guidance and mentorship of Professor Kavehpour Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering at UCLA, and support from Orange County Fire Authority, the system has undergone extensive field testing with real fires and has been deployed in the field for more than six months. The technology not only identifies small fires at long distances but also reports precise locations, enabling Wildfire Quest to rapidly deploy drones for suppression.

About XPRIZE

XPRIZE is the recognized global leader in designing and executing large-scale competitions to solve humanity's greatest challenges. For over 30 years, our unique model has democratized crowd-sourced innovation and scientifically scalable solutions that accelerate a more equitable and abundant future. Donate, learn more, and co-architect a world of abundance with us at xprize.org.

About Valley Christian Schools and the AMSE Institute

The AMSE Institute at Valley Christian Schools (San Jose, CA) empowers K–12 students to explore and excel in STEM through real-world research and innovation, including aerospace and environmental technologies. Valley Christian Schools (VCS) offers a college-preparatory education rooted in faith, excellence, and purpose. For more information, visit vcs.net

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RESOURCES

https://science.nasa.gov/earth/explore/wildfires-and-climate-change/

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SOURCE Valley Christian Schools