Design Summary Draft 2

 

The webpage “Firefighting Robots Go Autonomous” (Little, 2021) introduces readers to firefighting drones that assist our firefighters in fighting the flames. Among the many features is its ability to withstand the blazing heat in temperatures not possible for any human. A human-controlled robot called Robotics Systems 3(RS3) is being used by the Los Angeles City Fire Department and has braved countless harsh conditions. This includes buildings with collapsing roofs which come with an abundance of terrain mobility issues. One of the many attributes of the RS3 is the “ability to blast water at 10 times the rate of a conventional firehose” (Little, 2021, para. 8). According to the author, the RS3 is safely operated at a distance of 900 feet. Operators utilize thermal imaging from the RS3’s cameras to process video and temperature information. These firefighting drones are a tool that provides humans with more effective strategies without the risk of human lives. This is further supported by a similar article which states that these drones give better visual information which in turn allowed for better decisions to be made. As quoted, “With the drone we had good visual pictures and it helped us make decisions to put this fire out and keep our members safe” (DNDrone Nodes, Nd, para. 9). With the drones proven competency in aiding firefighting operations, the use of firefighting drones is essential in a firefighter’s arsenal. As most firefighting drones currently act as surveillance only, they should implement the ability for it to extinguish fires.