Rescue workers and first responders have started integrating drones into their lineups in recent years. With the addition of a powerful mounted camera flying through the air, rescuers receive more information about the situation than ever before.
In Guangzo, China, a different kind of drone is making headlines. This particular drone does not rely on HD cameras or thermal vision to help people. Here, it helps Fire Departments with high altitude emergencies by providing a portable net.
Net Guard Drone
Yes, here these Net Guard drones can deploy their very own nets that can catch weights of an average adult. This can give an alternative option when clearing out burning buildings, especially on higher floors. For those having sweaty palms right now imagining a net from a drone catching you from 20 stories up, fear not. The net itself is made of a polyurethane, and a quadruple layer of it at that. This makes it an incredibly durable and flexible net, where your worries of it breaking mid-use can go away.
The Net Guard itself has sensors still, however. Sensors do not detect human presence through walls, but movement around the drone. This ensures that the drone catches the person jumping from a burning building, and going through the net.
It can then fly the person down to safety, where they can receive any medical attention necessary. Of course, this is still in its early stages. Concepts and blueprints are all these ideas are – for now at least. There are still problems needed facing. These include the carrying capacity of only one person per instance. This can create a problem if multiple people need rescue from a tall building. Battery life may also be a concern. How many roundtrips can these Net Guards go before requiring recharging?
Alas, we may still be years away from such a concept becoming a standard in fire rescue.
