r/interestingasfuck • u/Red_Lotus_Alchemist • 2d ago

/r/all A Chinese earthquake rescue team deployed drones to light up the night and aid search and rescue operations after the devastating 7.7 magnitude earthquake in Myanmar.

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u/bnlf 2d ago

There are drones used by fire department connected to water as well to help put out fire on high buildings.

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u/s1ugg0 2d ago edited 2d ago

Drones being used for putting water on a fire in a meaningful way is a LONG way off.

The first problem is weight. Water weighs 8.34 lbs per gallon. The smallest attack line we use is 1.75 inch hose line. A single section of 50 feet of a 1.75 attack line weighs 70lbs when charged with water. We often use many sections because 50 feet is a lot shorter than it sounds. Plus it would have to counter the recoil of the nozzle. There are helicopters that would struggle to do that.

The second problem is friction loss. The higher you go and the more hose you deploy the harder the pump has to work to maintain flow rate. Which can quickly over come even our massive pumps. It's why FDC connection points are mandidated in all multistory structures.

Now drones for observation and muling tools is a totally different matter. And that has already started. Even my vollie department in NJ is testing observation drones with a thermal camera.

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u/2xtc 2d ago

How do these things exist and work then?

https://youtu.be/11enxgxsanU?si=lZZtSfdXmf5wssKi

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u/FloridianfromAlabama 1d ago

They’re fucking massive.