Environmentally-clean biodegradable water-based biochemical concentrates for producing fire-inhibiting and fire-extinguishing liquids and foams for fighting Class A and/or B fires. The concentrates are formulated using generally safe food-grade chemicals, for foaming agents, surfactants and dispersants, and fire inhibiting extinguishing agents, without the use of phosphates and ammonia compounds. Automated proportioning and mixing devices and systems can be used to mix the biochemical concentrates with proportioned quantities of pressurized water so as to produce fire inhibiting and extinguishing water streams, as well as finished firefighting foam materials, to both inhibit and extinguish fire involving Class A and/or B fuels.

Environmentally-clean aqueous-based fire inhibitor biochemical compositions in liquid phase that can be atomized and sprayed, over a broad ambient working temperature range, as a fine mist over ground surfaces, native ground fuel, living plants, trees and shrubs and when dried forming a durable fire protective coatings having improved surface coverage, and being an effective proactive wildfire inhibitor. These environmentally-clean aqueous-based fire inhibitor biochemical compositions can also be applied to wood products, and wood-framed and mass-timber buildings, decks and anything of a combustible nature, to provide proactive wildfire protection without compromising wood-fiber strength or producing volatile organic components (VOCs).

The invention relates to a fire-protection robot with a control unit which is configured to move the fire-protection robot along a specified navigation path, and to detect a fire-sensor unit which is configured to detect one or a plurality of fire characteristics along the specified navigation path. The fire-protection robot further comprises a communication unit which is configured to transmit an activation signal to at least one fire-fighting device in response to the detection of one or a plurality of fire characteristics, a fire-protection system comprising at least one fire-protection robot and at least one fire-fighting device as well as a corresponding method.

A coordinated support system for drones includes support units that have the shape and size of a common container and can be easily moved by using common road tractors, so to position a drone fleet close to a fire, possibly recover the aircraft at the end of the mission, and enable transfer during the mission to areas of strategic interest or priority importance to effectively fight the spreading of fire fronts in real time. Coordination and control are carried out through a control unit. The drones are powered by batteries, the automated replacement and recharging of which extends flight autonomy. The system enables an initial filling and subsequent multiple refills of the drones with an extinguishing liquid contained in small dispersible containers, which can be hooked and unhooked from the drones by remote control so to perform multiple missions.

A content-driven and content delivery UAV system. The UAV system includes a content source to provided pressurized content to the UAVs via a content transmission media. The pressurized content is utilized to drive a mechanical propulsion and steering system to keep the UAV aloft and direct it to a particular location. The pressurized content received by the UAVs can be directed back to the content source, to another UAV and or discharged from the UAV to a desired target. Thus, the UAVs may include a nozzle or valve for discharging the content and thus delivering the content to a desire location.

An aircraft for unmanned firefighting may include a water tank fillable via a scoop operation during flight of the aircraft, and configured to be emptied by a release operation at a target of interest, a communications module configured to employ wireless communication via a ground link and/or a satellite link to provide real time or near real time communication with a remote configuration or monitoring facility, an imaging module configured to obtain image data at the target of interest for identifying updated target information, and a navigation module configured to enable remote or autonomous operation of the aircraft during the scoop operation and the release operation.

Fire extinguishing apparatuses for use in fighting forest fires and related methods are disclosed herein. In particular, pressurized fire extinguishing and suppression apparatuses for use in fighting forest fires and prevention of damage and destruction to homes and other structure are provided that can dispense a spray of liquid, such as water, in a 360 radius. Methods related to the manufacture and use of the fire extinguishing apparatuses disclosed herein are also provided.

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 disposable unmanned aerial glider (UAG) with pre-determined UAG flight capabilities. The UAG comprises a flight module comprising at least one aerodynamic arrangement; and a fuselage module comprising a container configured for storing therein a payload and having structural integrity. The container is pressurized so as to maintain structural integrity thereof at least during flight, so that the UAG flight capabilities are provided only when the container is pressurized.

An embodiment of a fire suppression apparatus for fighting fires from an aerial vehicle is disclosed having a foam and water held in separate containers that when mixed forms a fire retardant in the separate water container, a pump driven by a first electric motor, the pump including an air induction valve positioned at the pump inlet where air and the fire retardant are drawn into the inlet and pressurized simultaneously by the pump, a primer pump driven by a second electric motor to prime the inlet with the fire retardant before starting the pump, an inverter to control startup of the first electric motor, and an aimable boom connected to the pump by a conduit, the boom including a nozzle on a distal end of the boom from which the pressurized water/foam/air fire retardant is dispensed toward a target. Vertical mount plates can attach the apparatus to opposite sides of the helicopter.