Presently disclosed subject matter integrates a method of using thousands of semi-autonomous unmanned aerial vehicles, herein called drones, to deliver vastly superior amounts of fire retardant over substantially larger and variably-shaped drop patterns. Each drone is able to swap its own batteries with freshly charged batteries and each drone is able to refill its container with water or fire retardant. Once launched, a swarm of drones can perform repeated trips from the water/retardant source to the fire without human involvement other than the high-level tasking of where to drop the retardant. Once a general drop destination and drop pattern shape is designated, the swarm can transport retardant to that location, form itself into the desired drop shape, and deploy retardant. The drone body is designed to be modular so different components can be attached with ease and no special training or knowledge required.

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 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.

A tank assembly for a helicopter is provided. The tank assembly comprises a retractable tank for storing liquid or other substances. The retractable tank comprises an upper frame structure. The tank assembly further comprises 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 comprising a fuselage, a main rotor transmission, and a tank assembly is also provided.

According to an aspect, a computer-implemented method for water volume estimation includes detecting water based at least in part on sensor-based data; determining a volume of water based at least in part on the sensor-based data; determining a location at the water for an aircraft to retrieve water via a water retrieving apparatus; and translating the location of the water into pilot inputs to guide the aircraft to the water.

Aerial firefighting systems and methods involve suspending a water-filled sack from an aircraft (e.g., a helicopter or an airplane) and controllably releasing the water out through a valve at the bottom of the sack to quench a target area over which the aircraft is flying. The valve is open and closed by an hydraulic valve actuator (e.g., an hydraulic cylinder), which is attached to the valve. A controller determines how far the valve is opened by monitoring how much of a finite amount of hydraulic fluid is conveyed to or from the hydraulic valve actuator. The finite amount of hydraulic fluid is determined by the action of a positive displacement apparatus in the aircraft. Some examples of a positive displacement apparatus include a gear pump, an hydraulic cylinder, and a plunger pump. The systems and methods avoid the need for installing an electric valve position sensor in the sack.

An intake, storage, and distribution system for providing firefighting and liquid disbursement intake and distribution to a helicopter. The tank is constructed to slide or be positioned into a passenger compartment of a helicopter. In a preferred embodiment, the water tank has an external snorkel hose equipped with a pump for loading of the water into the tank. The snorkel hose is preferably configured to be connected to the frame of the aircraft to support the weight of the snorkel. This is of assistance, for example, when a helicopter is hovering above a liquid source and uptaking liquid through the snorkel hose or tube.

In the field of agriculture and aerial firefighting, some example vent systems for aircraft fluid dispersion tanks include a vent-well recessed below the top of the tank. When a gate valve assembly below the tank opens to release fluid for dispersion along the aircraft's trailing flight path, the vent system prevents a detrimental vacuum from developing within the tank. In some examples, a recessed vent exploits the Coanda effect to direct air into the tank without obstructing the pilot's view. In some examples, a low profile scoop above the vent further promotes airflow with minimal visual obstruction. In addition or alternatively, some example vent systems include a lightweight cable connecting the gate valve assembly to a spring-loaded vent. The cable pulls the vent open in response to the gate opening to release fluid. When the gate closes, the cable becomes slack, which allows the spring to close the vent.

A tank assembly for a helicopter is provided. The tank assembly comprises a retractable tank for storing liquid or other substances, an attachment mechanism, and first and second struts. The retractable tank comprises an upper frame structure. The attachment mechanism is attached to the upper frame structure and is configured to engage a cargo hook mount on the underside of the fuselage of the helicopter. The first and second struts extend from respective opposing sides of the upper frame structure. Each of the first and second struts is configured to engage a respective side mount on the fuselage of the helicopter.

Provided is a dropping-type fire extinguishing body that, in fire extinguishing using a gel-like fire extinguishing agent, can allow the fire extinguishing agent to be smoothly conveyed and dropped.

A dropping-type fire extinguishing body 1 to be dropped onto the fire site to extinguish the fire, wherein a gelling agent 3 is contained in a bag body 2 formed of a water-permeable material and water is permeated into the body and is mixed with the gelling agent to prepare a gel-like fire extinguishing agent, thereby filling the gel-like fire extinguishing agent into the inside of the bag body.