"Dragon Firefighter" is a flying robot that fights fires from above

Imagine a remarkable creature, a flying dragon that doesn’t spout fire, but has the incredible abilities of a firefighter, able to extinguish it with powerful blasts of water.

Thanks to a team of Japanese researchers, this futuristic beast, known as the Dragon Firefighter, may soon join firefighting teams worldwide to tackle fires that are too hazardous for human intervention.

The blueprint of this extraordinary robot was unveiled this week, allowing roboticists everywhere to access and utilize the plans for the benefit of all.

Designing the Dragon Firefighter

The Dragon Firefighter is a remotely controllable flying firehose robot, measuring an impressive four meters in length. Its purpose is to safely and efficiently extinguish fires within buildings by directly approaching the fire sources.

“We here present a prototype of a four-meter-long, remotely controllable flying firehose robot, engineered to safely and efficiently extinguish fires in buildings by directly approaching the fire sources,” said joint corresponding author Dr Yuichi Ambe, an assistant professor at Osaka University.

The remarkable journey of the Dragon Firefighter began at Prof. Satoshi Tadokoro’s laboratory at Tohoku University in 2016. Since then, a team of 11 dedicated researchers and students has contributed to further developing this innovative robot.

Throughout the development process, close collaboration with Japanese firefighters has helped refine the Dragon Firefighter to better meet their specific needs.

Firefighting power of the Dragon

The Dragon Firefighter’s firehose is propelled upward, flying at a height of two meters above the ground, by eight controllable jets of water emanating from its center and head.

This flexible firehose can change shape and be directed toward flames with the help of a control unit stationed in a wheeled cart behind the robot. The cart is connected to a fire truck that carries a water reservoir of 14,000 liters through a supply tube.

The nozzles of the firehose emit water at an impressive rate of 6.6 liters per second, with a pressure of up to one megapascal. To aid in locating the fire, the hose’s tip is equipped with both conventional and thermal imaging cameras, offering a comprehensive view of the surroundings.

Successful demonstration

The Dragon Firefighter demonstrated its capabilities at the opening ceremony of the World Robot Summit 2020 (WRS2020), held in Fukushima in September 2021.

The robot triumphantly extinguished a ceremonial flame composed of fireballs ignited by another robot at a distance of four meters. This successful demonstration not only showcased the Dragon’s design but also provided valuable insights and lessons for further improvements.

Since the demonstration at WRS2020, the team, including Dr. Yu Yamauchi, an assistant professor at Akita Prefectural University and another corresponding author, has been working diligently to enhance the Dragon Firefighter and expand its capabilities.

Improving the Dragon Firefighter

Dr Yu Yamauchi, an assistant professor at Akita Prefectural University and another corresponding author, said, “Since the demonstration at WRS2020, we have continued to work on improving our Dragon and have learned many new things.”

“For example, we found that the original passive dampening mechanism which counters oscillations of the Dragon Firefighter’s body was impractical: it took too long to prepare for flight,” Yamauchi continued. “We also found that heat from fires can cause detrimental plastic deformation in outdoor applications of the corrugated tube that holds the water hose and electric cables.”

Key improvements discussed in the study include enhanced waterproofing, a nozzle unit capable of handling a wider range of net forces, and an improved mechanism for channeling water flow.

Furthermore, Dr. Ambe estimates that it will take approximately 10 more years to deploy the robot in real-world firefighting scenarios. The primary challenge lies in extending its reach beyond 10 meters. Developing effective firefighting tactics tailored to the unique capabilities of the Dragon Firefighter will also be a critical aspect of further development.

What the future holds

The Dragon Firefighter represents a remarkable feat of robotics, with its transformative potential to address dangerous fires and protect human lives.

With its publication as Open Science, the plans for building the Dragon Firefighter are freely accessible to roboticists worldwide, making collective progress in the development of this extraordinary robot possible.

As Dr. Ambe aptly states, “We estimate that it will take approximately 10 more years to deploy our robot in real-world firefighting scenarios. The primary challenge will be to extend its reach beyond 10 meters. Developing effective firefighting tactics tailored to this robot’s unique capabilities will likewise be a critical aspect of further development.”

In the quest for safer and more efficient firefighting methods, the Dragon Firefighter emerges as a powerful ally in the fight against devastating fires.

The full study was published in the journal Frontiers in Robotics and AI.

—–

Like what you read? Subscribe to our newsletter for engaging articles, exclusive content, and the latest updates.

Check us out on EarthSnap, a free app brought to you by Eric Ralls and Earth.com.

—–