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 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.

The instant invention relates to an apparatus and method for enhancing the fire extinguishing properties of water for use with fire fighting aircraft. The apparatus and method includes the steps of, and equipment for, transferring media into a holding tank in aircraft; filling a reservoir hopper with water in the aircraft; calculating the amount of media to be added to the reservoir; drawing the calculated amount of media into the reservoir to form an enhanced fire fighting admixture while the aircraft is in flight, wherein the admixture is offloaded by a controlled discharge for use in fighting forest fires.

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.

Aerial fire-fighting bucket systems are disclosed for liquid cargo pickup, transport, and discharge. Bucket systems include rigging to be attached to the long line of an aircraft, the bucket having a pliable skin having an upper edge and a lower edge, an upper frame from which the upper edge of the skin is suspended, and a lower structure to which the lower edge of the skin is attached in a sealed manner. Fixed attachment of the skin by its sealing attachment to the lower structure forms a container for the liquid cargo. Bucket systems include a valve system disposed in the lower structure and optionally a computer-controlled hydraulic motor/pump and accumulator configured to maintain hydraulic pressure, and controls to release liquid cargo from the bucket by a hydraulically-activated flapper valve assembly. Bucket systems may include a power fill system with pump having an outlet comprising a plurality of check valves.

A tank assembly for a helicopter is provided. The tank assembly includes a retractable tank for storing liquid or other substances. The retractable tank includes an upper frame structure. The tank assembly further includes an attachment mechanism attached to the upper frame structure and configured to engage a main rotor transmission of the helicopter to suspend therefrom. A helicopter including a fuselage, a main rotor transmission, and a tank assembly is also provided.

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.

A mobile, portable, transportable dip tank to support wildfire fighting operations for both aerial firefighting, as well as ground support functionality. The dip tank includes the ability to be loaded in any orientation on to a transport vehicle, store onboard tools and includes an interior cistern that can be attached to water sources on the ground to continuously fill the cistern. An auto-fill/auto-regulating valve is incorporated into the still-well of the cistern in the air gap. Chamfered edges on the exterior prevent safety snag hazards. Lighting is incorporated into the interior and exterior of the cistern as well as exterior to the entire device. A communications suite is provided which allows for remote controlling of the features from any suitable device utilizing all modern forms of electronic communication.

A dispersion system for a vehicle, wherein the vehicle has at least one door opening. The dispersion system comprises at least two tank modules including a reservoir for storing a medium to be dispersed, each module configured to fit through the door opening; a door configured to fit into one of the at least one door opening and comprising a through hole; and a dispersion unit having a dispersion channel in fluid communication with the reservoir of the modules and the through hole of the door. Each tank module includes an outlet channel in fluid communication with the dispersion channel; and a closure closing the reservoir with respect to the outlet channel in a fluid tight manner. A controller is configured to individually open the closure of each module. Also a vehicle with such a dispersion system.

In the field of agriculture and aerial firefighting, some example vent systems for aircraft fluid dispersion tanks include a combination of features that greatly minimizes the vent system's weight. Some examples of the vent system include a generally planar valve plug rigidly attached to a flexurally rigid but axially extendible strut. An upper end of the strut is suspended from a pivotal connector mounted centrally above the valve seat associated with the valve plug. As the vent closes, the pivotal connector ensures the valve plug can pivot into central alignment with the valve seat. In some examples, the valve plug includes a frusto-spherical outer perimeter to compensate for possible deviation in the connector's desired central alignment over the valve seat.