FIRE-FIGHTING SYSTEM USING DRONES

[Anchor Lead]

Putting out fires in high-rises can be a challenge. An innovative fire-fighting system featuring hundreds of drones deployed for putting out flames and rescuing people has been unveiled. This groundbreaking firefighting system is expected to help extinguish fires quickly and protect firefighters as well.

[Pkg]

A blaze starts in a high-rise building. Three drones fly over simultaneously. They sprinkle fire extinguishing agents all over the building. Moments later, the flames are put out. When a rescue call is received from a nearby building, a rescue drone is mobilized. After the firefighters place the injured on stretchers, the drone transports them accurately to where a rescue team is awaiting. It’s the first drone swarm system for extinguishing fires developed in South Korea. Once the location coordinates are ready, up to 256 drones can be mobilized at the same time to put out fires. They can fly as high as two kilometers, making them especially helpful in extinguishing flames in high-rises that are difficult to reach for firefighters.

[Soundbite] Park Chang-woo(Prof., Cheongju University) : "When an order is issued for drones, they arrive at the required location within one-meter accuracy. It’s very efficient in terms of time and accuracy."

Drones for rescuing people can carry up to 200kg of rescue equipment including oxygen tanks. Drones for investigating blazes are equipped with infrared thermal cameras that can quickly detect the injured trapped inside buildings.

[Soundbite] Yang Seung-jo(Governor of Chungcheongnam-do Province) : "These drones could become an ideal solution for extinguishing fires and rescuing people in high-rise buildings."

Once the battery life is extended from the current 15-20 minutes and relevant regulations are enacted, the commercialization of firefighting drones will be just a matter of time.