Drones for Firefighting in High-rise Buildings

Fly4Future’s founder & CTO Dr. Martin Saska and some of our employees were core members of the MRS CTU international team competing at the renowned Mohamed Bin Zayed International Robotics Challenge (MBZIRC) 2020, in Abu Dhabi, UAE. Read more about the competition here.

Under the guidance of Dr. Saska, the team made a remarkable impact and achieved success in the challenge that was inspired by the application of robotics in urban firefighting. The objective was to utilize robots, including Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) and an Unmanned Ground Vehicle (UGV), to autonomously execute a sequence of tasks in an outdoor-indoor setting. Specifically, the team aimed to independently extinguish simulated fires in an urban high-rise building scenario.

Drones are transforming the landscape of emergency response, particularly in challenging circumstances like battling fires at hard-to-reach heights. Armed with advanced cameras and heat sensors, these airborne aids demonstrate exceptional situational awareness abilities. They can effortlessly maneuver through windows and other openings, pinpointing the exact location of fire outbreaks with precision. The agility and advanced technology of drones make them invaluable assets in firefighting efforts.

The DOFEC drones are fire-extinguishing flying robots equipped with special launching devices that carry fire-extinguishing capsules, eliminating the need for firefighters to enter potentially dangerous buildings without proper risk scanning. In contrast to costly high-rise equipment that may get held up on busy roads, drones provide a rapid and efficient alternative. Their ability to reach heights quickly is unmatched, making them invaluable when quick responses are needed in crises situations.

To sum up, drones are not just improving the efficiency of firefighting operations but also safeguarding both firefighters and civilians by offering quicker and more precise assistance in demanding circumstances.