Future Technology
DR Exterior and Components
The drone is made of Grade 330 stainless steel, which has a melting point of around 1,500 degrees Celsius, with a tantalum hafnium carbide (THC) exterior coating, which has a melting point of 4,215 degrees Celsius. The purpose of using these two materials is to help resist the spread of flames and provide a fireproof coating against the intense heat produced by the fire. DR is equipped with many devices on its exterior. It is equipped with smoke detectors and infrared cameras to detect heat sources and help monitor remote areas. An AI-trained camera network is incorporated, which uses data from cameras, satellites, other drones and meteorologists to help monitor forest conditions and the fire itself. This information can also be used to predict fire behaviors based on the weather conditions and terrain, which can also improve firefighting strategies. DR is also equipped with a modern and groundbreaking piece of equipment, the APSA system. This system uses elements in the air to help extinguish fires, eliminating the use of harmful fire retardants.​
Tantalum Halfnium Carbide
330 Stainless Steel
​Thermoelectric and Hydrogen-Powered Drone for Extended Operation
DR is powered by hydrogen and thermoelectricity, which are both environment friendly and energy efficient. A product of using these sources for energy is water vapor. This water vapor will also be sprayed at the fire to extinguish the fire faster. This setup also allows the drone to operate for extended periods of time, even in extreme heat. Hydrogen provides a high energy density which is crucial for the drone's performance and important on long missions. The two adsorbing agents, APA and Palladium, will be heated to release the two gasses that were adsorbed into a tank connected to the fuel cell where chemical processes will produce electrical energy to power DR. The thermoelectric generator (TEG) uses the Seebeck effect to turn heat into electricity by generating electric voltage using temperature differences. Using the heat produced by the wildfire, it can generate enough electricity to sustain its flight and operations. Components of the TEG include a silicon germanium and a heat sink. The silicon germanium will be placed on the outside where heat is most abundant whilst the heat sink will be placed within the drone to be cooled by liquid nitrogen.
Thermoelectric Generator
Hydrogen Generator for Drones
The APSA system stands for Advanced Pressure Swing Adsorption system. Our APSA system is a groundbreaking piece of technology that will completely change the current scene of firefighting, which is heavily dependent on chemicals.