Introduction

British and Swiss scientists are developing an unmanned aerial vehicle that can stay inside a burning object for up to 10 minutes.

Improving Firefighting Efforts

A new fire-resistant aerial drone could help firefighters by checking burning buildings so firefighters know what to fight before they enter. The FireDrone experimental quadcopter is being developed by scientists at Imperial College London and the Swiss research institute Empa. It can withstand temperatures up to 200 degrees Celsius above zero for 10 minutes.

Innovative Thermal Resistance

The thermal resistance of the drone is mainly due to the insulating layer of air that forms the shell surrounding the electronic devices. The porous gel material, specially designed for the drone, consists of air pockets in plastic (polymide), silica, and glass fibers. The outer aluminum casing helps reflect heat.

Advanced Features and Testing

The FireDrone is equipped with an optical infrared camera and a carbon dioxide sensor. The drone was tested at the fire safety training center. It can be used to estimate the strength of forest fires. It can also be used in low-temperature environments thanks to its insulating gel.

Source

Source: Rambler