A fire suppression apparatus for fighting fires from a vehicle configured for flight is disclosed, comprising a foam and water held in separate containers aboard the vehicle that when mixed forms a fire retardant, a pump driven by an electric motor to pressurize the fire retardant, the pump including an air induction valve where air is drawn into a suction end of the pump and pressurized together with the fire retardant, 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 fire retardant and air is dispensed toward a target.

A multi-modular aerial firefighting control method and apparatus for use by firefighters to control fire. The multi-modular aerial firefighting control method and apparatus generally includes multi-modular units that are held together to form an aerial firefighting system. The modular units may work together or independently. The multi-modular system comprises more than one modular unit, fluid, fluid conduit, reservoir, air flow generator, multi-modular unit support structure, aerial suspension system and aerial lift system.

Environmentally-clean fire inhibiting and extinguishing dry powder compositions and products for sorbing flammable liquids while inhibiting ignition and extinguishing fire involving flammable hydrocarbon liquids such as, oils, fuels and non-polar solvents such as ketones and alcohols. The dry powder chemical compositions are made by mixing, blending and milling to suitable powder particle sizes, the following components: a fire extinguishing agent in the form of at least one alkali metal salt of a nonpolymeric saturated carboxylic acid; a powder fluidizing agent to help provide the dry powder composition with excellent fluid flow characteristics; and an oleophilic/hydrophobic composition for absorbing liquid hydrocarbons, while repelling water. A surfactant may be added to promote the formation of anhydrous semi-crystalline metal mineral salt film onto the surface of flammable hydrocarbon liquids involved in fire outbreaks to be extinguished and preferably absorbed by the dry powder chemical compositions.

According to some examples of the presently disclosed subject matter there is provided a system and method for deploying a plurality of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) by an airborne carrier aircraft for dispersing payload material, each UAV comprising at least one container containing payload material and being configured to disperse the payload material at a designated dispersion area in an event site.

A firefighting aerial vessel that can coordinate with other firefighting aerial vessels to extinguish fires. The vessel has a body with a bottom container providing a volume for extinguishing substances that are fluidly coupled to spray units supported by the exterior of the body. The plurality of propulsion units of each vessel may be rotatably to the body of the vessel so that the vessel can move and rotate about the x, y, and/or z-axis. The vessel can form specific formation with other vessels in a coordinated manner by way of communication and positioning systems, so that the formation can surround and thwart fires.

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 tethered unmanned aerial spraying system comprising a tether line, a power source, a plurality of supporting beams and a plurality of pairs of motorized propellers, wherein each pair of motorized propellers is supported by the ends of a corresponding supporting beam, and a control unit configured to control each motorized propeller. The tether line includes a flexible hose for delivering spraying agent and a power line, supplying electricity to the motorized propellers from the power source. At least a portion of the tether line is covered by a rigid frame and is carried thereby, wherein the supporting beams are attached to the rigid frame so as to be arranged longitudinally to one another, and the neighboring supporting beams of pairs of motorized propellers have unequal length. The system provides compact configuration of an easily deployable system having increased stability and improved lifting capabilities or energy-effectiveness.

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 embodiment of an aerial fire suppression system comprising of a water tank (104) clamped to a transport unit (100), and a snorkel (108) connected to the water tank (104) for pumping water. A straight boom lift (200) is mounted to the transport unit (100). The straight boom lift (200) has a tower boom (206) that can pivot downward from the transport unit (100). The tower boom (206) has extension booms (208, 210, 212, 214) attached to it that can extend to and fro. The inner most extension boom (214) has a main boom (218) mounted to it. The main boom (218) can pivot about the extension boom (214). Each end of the main boom (218) has a water cannon (230) mounted on it. The water cannon (230) consists of a monitor (232) that rotates about and a pivotal fire nozzle (234). The water cannons have the capacity to blast water or a product on a natural disaster. The technique enables the main boom (218) and water cannons (230) to maneuver and pivot within close proximity of a fire.

A process of forming strategic chemical-type wildfire breaks on ground surfaces to proactively prevent fire ignition and flame spread, and reduce the production of smoke in the presence of a wildfire. The process involves using a wireless mobile information network for managing the application of a clean fire and smoke inhibiting slurry composition containing clean fire inhibiting chemicals, and cellulose or wood fiber, mixed with water and other additives, on ground surfaces in advance of wild fire, to blanket the ground surfaces from wildfire ignition, and also application over smoldering ambers and ashes to prevent re-ignition while reducing (i) the use of significant amounts of water, (ii) the production of toxic run off water, and (iii) toxic smoke.