Using Drones to Help Firefighters

Chinese scientists and engineers are designing drones to help firefighters rescue trapped people, especially in high-rise building fires. When a fire occurs in a high-rise building, firefighters often have to walk upstairs and their sight is affected by heavy smoke, making it hard to plan a rescue route. The drones can quickly fly into a burning building through windows and doors to locate trapped people and figure out a rescue route before firefighters arrive. “For a skyscraper with a height of around 500 meters, it takes about half an hour for firefighters to climb the stairs to the top floor, but the drones need only two minutes,” said the designers. The drones are made of materials commonly used on rockets, allowing them to withstand a high-temperature environment. Cameras will also be placed on the drones so that they can send photos back to firefighters in time. They will be able to draw a 3D map in order to plan a rescue route free of barriers. The drones are expected to be put in use soon.