In the field of fire rescue, industrial drones have been upgraded from "disaster investigation" to the core equipment of "fire-fighting operations", constructing a three-dimensional fire protection system integrating "reconnaissance-strike-support". Fire-fighting drones are divided into reconnaissance types and operation types: Reconnaissance drones are equipped with infrared thermal imagers and gas sensors, which can quickly draw a heat map of the fire source distribution at high altitudes above the fire scene, locate high-temperature points and areas of toxic gas leakage, and provide real-time data for the command center to formulate fire-fighting plans; operation drones are equipped with large-capacity water tanks (with a load of 30-50 kilograms) or fire extinguisher bomb launching devices, which can accurately strike high-risk fire points such as high-rise buildings and forest canopies, and the coverage area of a single delivery reaches 50 square meters.
The coordinated combat mode of drones subverts the traditional fire-fighting process: Reconnaissance drones take off first to lock the fire source, operation drones carry out precise strikes according to the planned route, and ground fire engines advance simultaneously, forming a three-dimensional offensive of "aerial suppression-ground annihilation". In forest fires, a group of drones can carry flame retardants for large-scale spreading to prevent the spread of the fire; in high-rise building fires, drones can drop fire extinguisher bombs through window-breaking devices to avoid firefighters from entering the smoky environment. Their high-temperature resistance (able to operate for a short time in an environment of 200°C) and rainproof design ensure stable operation in extreme fire scene environments.
The advantages of fire-fighting drones lie in "rapid response, precise strike, and safety guarantee": It only takes 5-10 minutes from receiving the alarm to reaching the fire scene, which is more than 30% faster than traditional fire engines, especially suitable for areas with traffic congestion or complex terrain. Data shows that in fire-fighting operations involving drones, the fire control time is shortened by an average of 40%, and the risk of casualties among firefighters is reduced by 60%. For example, during the firefighting operation of the mountain fire in Chongqing in 2023, a group of drones operated continuously for 72 hours and successfully blocked the fire belt in cooperation with the ground team, becoming a classic case of firefighting with technology. With the progress of fire-fighting technology, fire-fighting drones are being upgraded from auxiliary tools to main equipment, promoting the transformation of fire-fighting operations from "labor-intensive" to "technology-enabled", and safeguarding the safety of cities and nature with aerial power.
