Drones have seen applications in unimaginable fields today, from space exploration to being somebody’s backyard pastime. Aerones, a Latvian firm, on the other hand, has put drone technology to use in one of the most innovative ways possible. With tethered drones, Aerones is ready to fight a big problem that would’ve otherwise been much harder to solve.

Protect and save lives, extinguish fires, and protect/save physical properties – these are the three main tasks of firefighters. Firefighting equipment used to be pretty low-tech — trucks, ladders, and hoses – until recent times. This made combating a fire from a close distance a prominent challenge due to the risk of personal injury. All this is, however, changing with firefighting drones. With rising urbanization, traffic, higher commercial and residential buildings, and the use of new harmful compounds in construction, firemen are looking towards developments in aerial drone technology to help them achieve their goals. There’s no need to drive a fire vehicle near the firefighting area and using drones as they can maneuver through tight locations, avoid obstructions, and fly close to the fire without endangering firefighters. This is all thanks to the evolution in materials, sensors, and battery life. Commercial drones are also being equipped with electrical and gas sensors, heat-resistant materials, enhanced cameras, autonomous and swarm operations, and increased range and air time to help firemen.

Drones manufactured by the Latvian firm Aerones however, are a class apart from other such UAVs. They specialize in heavy-duty unmanned aerial vehicles that have up to 36 propellors and can lift payloads of up to 100 kilograms. Not only can they also fly to altitudes of almost 1000 feet, but they can also do so in just under six minutes. This is a crucial feature since time is of the essence during a fire, and there are occasions when assuming a strategic position during an emergency may very well assist in getting the fire under control quickly.

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The firefighting drone is still under development, but Aerones hopes to extend its flight duration by several hours by utilizing tethers to feed electricity to the drone. The drone can however only fly for twenty minutes on battery power at a time after a 90-minute charge. The business has created two different drone models, namely ‘fast’ and ‘superfast’. The Superfast version will have 28 rotors and can carry a cargo of up to 441 pounds as high as 984 feet, while the Fast drone will have 36 rotors and can carry over 661 pounds as high as 1,640 feet. This height is nearly 10 times that of a regular fire truck’s reach. It can be anticipated fire departments around the country to add this great weapon to their inventory of firefighting tools as drone technology develops.

The appearance of this firefighting drone is one of its most appealing features. It was built to precisely manage a fire hose at heights beyond the reach of 100-foot fire vehicles. This increases the likelihood of quickly putting out a fire and thereby saving many more lives. Although the drone is still under development, the business wants to utilize it for real-world operations shortly. If this implementation happens, the rescue rate on firefighting missions is sure to boom drastically.

The features of the drones at a glance:

• 20 minutes of air time, which can be extended through a tethered power supply or in-air recharging.

• Can achieve proximity to a fire, about 98 feet (30 meters).

• Spray a “special chemical mix” to maximize spray weight and pressure.

• Optional use of foam.

We could anticipate seeing more uses of drones and other robotic technologies being employed by firemen as drones and other robotic technologies improve, such as:

• Closer extinguishing with more heat-resistant materials

• Better detection of humans, animals, and toxic substances

• Attachments that can disperse smoke in crucial areas

• Guiding panicked humans to safety through lights and sound

• Smart robots or drones on patrol can prevent fires from breaking out, or extinguish smaller fires before they spread.