The Sharjah Civil Defence will use drone technology to deal with fires in high-rise buildings in the emirate, starting next year.
The new technology will enter service in the first quarter of 2025 and will contribute significantly to achieving the strategic and operational goals set by the authority related to reducing firefighting time and achieving rapid response, especially in high-rise buildings, and moving from traditional firefighting methods to advanced and creative methods.
The authority tested the drone with a technical team from the Civil Defence and the company Drone First Building Service, based in the UAE.
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Brigadier Sami Al Naqbi, Director General of Sharjah Civil Defence, said: “We tested the drone, and it passed the test successfully, reaching a height of 150 metres, equivalent to about 40 floors, in just 18 seconds,” adding that the drone demonstrated the ability at this height to spray water up to 15 metres from an internal tank with a capacity of 5,000 litres, which is refilled via a water hose connected to a ground tank.
Watch the video below:
Brigadier Al Naqbi explained that the drone can be equipped with a thermal camera that helps firefighting teams determine the source and intensity of heat and its concentration, especially in areas with large spaces, which will give firefighting teams the ability to make important decisions quickly to control the incident.
Reducing response time
Brigadier Al Naqbi pointed out that due to the large size of fire engines and the nature of some narrow buildings, firefighting teams may face traffic obstructions, which causes a delay in the speed of response, while the drone can be transported in a small vehicle and launched directly to the site, which ensures Much faster response.