Drones Are Catching Up
When it comes to aerial firefighting, helicopters are well out in front, but drones are catching up.
Let’s start with helicopters, whose ability to fight fires is being backed by major manufacturers. For instance, “Airbus Helicopters has several rotorcraft models active in firefighting missions both here in North America and across the globe including the H125, H145, H215 and H225,” said Jeff Donahue, Airbus utility sales manager. “Many of these aircraft are multi-mission platforms that conduct water dropping, firefighter insertion and pick up, rappelling, aerial ignition, and command and control.”
Meanwhile, “the all-new Subaru Bell 412EPX was heavily designed with aerial firefighting needs in mind,” said Terry Miyauchi, Bell public safety segment manager. “This includes an external load payload jump of 1,100 pounds, now at 12,200, a cargo hook capacity increase to 5,000 pounds, and a new transmission with a 30-minute dry certification.”
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A Leonardo company spokesperson says, “Leonardo offers a wide range of helicopters in support of these missions. A recent example is the AW139 operated by Italy’s National Fire Corps, which entered service not only to perform firefighting missions, but also maritime and mountain search and rescue, medical aid, and civil protection. The AW189 is also proving to be a great success for firefighting missions, especially in Asia, where the Malaysian fire department and the fire service in Seoul and the Tokyo Fire Department are operating their AW189 helicopters.”
Then there’s United Rotorcraft, an Air Methods division. “United Rotorcraft is the exclusive provider of the Firehawk aerial firefighting system for new Sikorsky S-70i/M Black Hawks, as well as legacy HH/UH-60L model Black Hawks,” said Michael Williams, the company’s senior director of strategy and marketing. “ The fleet now consists of 22 aircraft in active duty: 17 based on the S-70, and three converted HH-60Ls. While the current fleet of Firehawks operate in California, the State of Colorado’s first S-70M Firehawk is coming online in 2024 and a second aircraft is on order.”
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