Firefighting Drones

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Firefighting drones equipped with the latest technology are growing ever more important on disaster sites. These days, a fire drone was even deployed to help authorities catch a wild boar that appeared in the city.

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This view is taken from a firefighting drone mobilized to the scene of a fire. Thanks to the images, fire authorities were able to call in forces while observing in real time how the entire town was being affected.

[Soundbite] Kim Gil-jung(Gangnam Fire Station, Seoul) : "Using a drone, you immediately know which side to defend. We thought we should tame the flames on the upper and left sides."

The firefighting drone becomes even more useful at night. From the outside, it's difficult to identify from where the fire broke out. But the drone image clearly shows the starting point of the fire and how it is spreading. This is all made possible by a thermal imaging camera equipped on the drone. Using this camera, people inside a building can be identified even from a distance of 250 meters.

[Soundbite] Heo Chang-sik(119 Special Rescue Team) : "In case of a skyscraper fire, if people who need to be rescued are near a window, we can identify them using the drone's thermal imaging function."

The use of firefighting drones is becoming increasingly diversified. They are used to chase away wild boars that appear in urban areas, and they can also help locate passengers of a car that has fallen into the Hangang River. Since their implementation a year ago, firefighting drones have excelled in their emergency response role at around 120 disaster sites around the country.