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. A linear 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 multi-tank system and aircraft for dispersing firefighting materials includes a fuselage, a pair of wings, a first storage tank, a second storage tank, a first opening, a second opening, a first closure, a second closure, and an actuator. The first opening is disposed forward of a center of gravity of the aircraft and the second opening is disposed rearward of the center of gravity of the aircraft to maintain stability of the aircraft. The first opening is coupled to the first storage tank and the second opening is coupled to the second storage tank; a fuselage keel beam is positioned around the perimeters of the first and second openings. The actuator is configured to open the first closure and the second closure, in order to disperse firefighting materials such as water, fire retardant, or a mixture thereof.

The system includes an intake assembly upstream of a pump within the bucket which selectively uses an outer port for drawing water outside of the bucket into the system and an inner port for drawing water from within the bucket into the system. A polymer gel port is interposed between the intake assembly and the pump for combination, mixing and activation of a water and polymer gel emulsion combination within the pump. A fill assembly is provided downstream of the pump which can selectively direct water back into the bucket. A discharge assembly is also provided downstream of the pump which leads to a nozzle or other outlet for water and/or polymer gel emulsion from the system. A control valve selects between delivery of water and/or polymer gel emulsion back into the bucket through the fill assembly or out of the bucket through the discharge.

A fire-extinguisher device, for aerial use, comprising a bucket which contains two independent but related tanks or cylinders, one for water and one for a foaming agent mixture, along with a chamber in which the extinguishing foam is generated. The device is also equipped with an electronic mechanism to control operation thereof, as well as mechanism for the dispensing of the extinguishing foam that is produced, and which will allow for rapid dropping or spreading over an extended area, as well as providing various discretionary dispensing services.

A method of preserving a building or similar asset (16) from destruction by a bushfire is disclosed. The method includes the step of shortly prior to the arrival of the bushfire at the asset or building (16), spraying the exterior of said asset or building (16) with a water-based fire retardant (17) ejected from a nozzle (10) located above the asset or building (16) and mounted on a helicopter (1) carrying the water-based fire retardant (17).

The disclosure is directed to systems and methods for autonomously picking up water in support of fire fighting missions using aerial vehicles. More particularly, the disclosure is directed to systems and methods for picking up water in support of fire fighting missions using onboard sensing and decision making processes with application of the fire retardant using unmanned aerial vehicles.

A multi-tank system and aircraft for dispersing firefighting materials includes a fuselage, a pair of wings, a first storage tank, a second storage tank, a first opening, a second opening, a first closure, a second closure, and an actuator. The first opening is disposed forward of a center of gravity of the aircraft and the second opening is disposed rearward of the center of gravity of the aircraft to maintain stability of the aircraft. The first opening is coupled to the first storage tank and the second opening is coupled to the second storage tank. The actuator is configured to open at least one of the first closure and the second closure, in order to disperse firefighting materials such as water, fire retardant, or a mixture thereof.

The system includes a pod suspended beneath the aircraft and above a water fillable and emptyable bucket. Polymer gel emulsion preparation equipment is included at the bucket. The pod includes an elongate shaft for carrying structural loads between a cable extending down from the aircraft and the bucket. The pod also includes a polymer gel tank. A polymer gel pump delivers polymer gel to the polymer gel emulsion preparation equipment within the bucket when required. The pod is configured to include a pathway for routing of various lines from the aircraft down to the bucket, and past the polymer gel tank. Sub-systems for filling the polymer gel tank and for equalizing pressure within the polymer gel tank are also included with the pod, so that the pod provides a modular polymer gel storage for use with polymer gel emulsion preparation equipment within a bucket suspended beneath the aircraft.

An accessory for an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) comprising a baseplate that is attached to the UAV unmanned aerial vehicle, at least one dispersant canister that is removably attached to the baseplate, a radio frequency receiver, an auxiliary circuit board, at least one battery, first and second wire pairs that supply electrical current from the auxiliary circuit board, a protective housing, and a radio frequency transmitter that is in communication with the radio frequency receiver. In alternate embodiments, the invention further comprises an electric match, linear solenoid, or electric primer.

Fire fighting drone comprising an exoskeleton defining an internal space extending along an axis H and a flexible bag stably housed in the internal space, provided with a release valve and configured to contain a fire fighting liquid; a support structure provided with a plurality of thrusters adapted to perform a thrust that enables the support structure to be supported in flight; the support structure is connected to a first end portion of the exoskeleton; a plurality of movable directional wings carried by the exoskeleton, extending outwards from the exoskeleton itself and angularly movable relative to the exoskeleton around respective axes H transverse to the axis H; an electronic control unit adapted to control the thruster, to generate the release signal and adapted to control the actuators that perform the rotation of the wings; the electronic control unit is configured to control said wings to allow the rotation of the wings during the free-fall phase of said drone which is released from an aircraft and thereby performs a certain trajectory of said drone from the aircraft to a launch zone; the electronic unit is configured to enable the discharge of said liquid from said bag and the activation of the thrusters following the discharge of the liquid to enable the flight of the support structure and of the exoskeleton containing the empty bag to a landing zone.