An unmanned aerial vehicle (“UAV”) system for fluid transport includes a UAV having a fluid chamber configured to transport a fluid, a processor, and a memory. The memory includes instructions which, when executed by the processor, may cause the system to receive a first location for collecting or releasing a fluid, determine a fluid level of the fluid chamber, and transport the fluid by the UAV to the first location based on the determined fluid level.

An unmanned aerial vehicle (“UAV”) system for fluid transport includes a UAV having a fluid chamber configured to transport a fluid, a processor, and a memory. The memory includes instructions which, when executed by the processor, may cause the system to receive a first location for collecting or releasing a fluid, determine a fluid level of the fluid chamber, and transport the fluid by the UAV to the first location based on the determined fluid level.

A dump gate system for a fluid hopper in a firefighting aircraft. A gate sealably engages a gate opening in the hopper at a closed position. The gate is hingedly connected about the gate opening, and a drive shaft is supported within the hopper. A crank arm is fixed to the drive shaft and is further coupled to the gate by a connecting link. The crank arm and the connecting link define an over-center geometry while the gate is at the closed position, such that weight of the fluid on the gate induces torque on the drive shaft in a gate-closing direction. An electric motor is selectively coupled to rotate the drive shaft in a gate-opening direction to thereby enable control of the fluid flow from the hopper according to an angular position of the drive shaft.

A firefighting system includes a base plate having an opening and configured to receive a sensor, a top plate spaced apart from the base plate, a valve body disposed between the base plate and the top plate, a plurality of guide rods spaced around the base plate opening and disposed between the base plate and the top plate and coupled to the base plate, the plurality of guide rods and the top plate configured to support vertical displacement of the valve body, an actuator configured to vertically displace the valve body, and a constant flow rate control system configured to control the actuator to adjust a valve aperture formed between the valve body and the base plate.

A valve mountable to a bottom of a container around an opening, such as an aerial firefighting bucket, and has a hub and telescoping arms extending radially from the hub. The telescoping arms are connected to the hub and to the bottom of the container. Hence, they radiate from the hub to a periphery around the opening. The hub may be raised and lowered with respect to the opening. When raised the telescoping arms extend and when lowered the telescoping arms contract. A valve flap is connected to the telescoping arms and covers the opening when the hub is lowered to inhibit liquid flow out of the opening and exposes part of the opening as the hub is raised to allow liquid to flow past the valve flap.

A suspension and control head apparatus for an aerial firefighting bucket that is suspendable from an aircraft and operable to release fluid by a movable valve, the apparatus comprising an elongate rigid spreader having attachment portions at opposite ends of the spreader member; a housing connected to the spreader member between the attachment portions; a remotely controllable actuator within the housing operable to advance and retract a valve control line connected to the movable valve on the bucket to open and close the valve; a cargo ring adapted to connecting to a cargo hook on the aircraft; suspension lines connected between each attachment portion and the cargo ring; and the ends of the spreader bar being operable to connect to bucket support lines for suspending the weight of the firefighting bucket evenly between the ends.

A system for filling a tank for a firefighting helicopter with water without ground personnel, comprising a pilot controlled valve assembly to selectively permit water to flow into the refill tank upon the receipt of a communication transmitted by a communication device within the helicopter. The pilot controlled valve assembly can include a supply valve configured to move between at least a closed state and an open state, a controller configured to control the supply valve, and a receiver configured to send a signal to a controller to cause the controller to at least open the supply valve upon receipt by the receiver of a communication meeting one or more predetermined criteria. The water tank can be filled from a water source, including a municipal water source, when the supply valve is open to provide a more efficient, semi-autonomous refill tank system greatly improves costly and time-consuming manually refill systems.

A gatebox system for delivering fire retardant fluid from a firefighting aircraft. A first and second gate opening are formed through a lower portion of a gatebox. The gates are hingedly connected along edges of the openings. One or two drive shafts in the gatebox are rotatable in gates-closing and gates-opening directions. Crank arms are fixed to the drive shafts and coupled to the gates by connecting links, which define an over-center geometry while the gates are at a closed position, such that weight of the fluid on the first gate induces torque on the drive shaft in the gates-closing direction. Rotation of the drive shafts in the gates-opening direction enables control of the fluid flow from the hopper according to an angular position of the drive shaft.

Drone management system comprising at least one drone (1) and a logistic support unit (2) of said drone (1). Said drone (1) comprising at least one container (3) adapted to contain service material, which container (3) comprises at least one inlet mouth (34 35) of said service material and expulsion means (35) of said service material. Said logistic support unit (2) comprises a resupply area of said container (3), which resupply area comprises resupply means (43, 44, 45) of said container. Said resupply means comprise position locking means (45) of said container (3), dispensing means communicating with a tank and a dispensing mouth (43, 44) adapted to communicate with said inlet mouth (34, 35), said resupply area comprising a basin element (4), the walls (41) of which converge towards said resupply means.

An external aircraft tank configured for attachment to an aircraft via a pylon that serves both to mechanically support the tank and to convey electrical power and control signals to the tank. The tank has an opening in a lower surface thereof, a releasable shutter configured to cover the opening, and an actuator articulated to the shutter and responsive to a switching signal conveyed from the aircraft for moving the shutter from the closed position to an open position whereby fire suppressant stored in the tank is released through the opening.