Korean Researchers Develop Fireproof Firefighter Drone That Climbs Walls
Posted on January 19, 2016
Researchers from the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST) have developed a robot designed to fight fires in skyscrapers. The Fireproof Aerial RObot System (FAROS) features a drone that can fly and climb walls. The quadrotor is also fireproof.
The new drone is a extended version of Climbing Aerial RObot System (CAROS) created in 2014. The research team was led by Professor Hyun Myung of the Civil and Environmental Engineering Department. The drone searches the inside of a skyscraper for fires and transfers data in real time. It can change quickly from flying mode to a spider-like crawling method. The crawling enables it to climb up tight spaces.
The FAROS robot is fireproof and flame-retardant thanks to its body being covered with aramid fibers. A fireproof test found the robot can endure the heat over 1,000 degrees Celsius from butane gas and ethanol aerosol flames for over one minute. The robot can be seen climbing and enduring flames in the video below:
Professor Myung says in a statement, "As cities become more crowded with skyscrapers and super structures, fire incidents in these high-rise buildings are life-threatening massive disasters. The FAROS can be aptly deployed to the disaster site at an early stage of such incidents to minimize the damage and maximize the safety and efficiency of rescue mission."
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