This looks like a rather expensive way of tackling brush fires. I can only imagine what it is likely to cost! Unlike a helicopter, which can be used for loads of other tasks, as well as in a water dump role, this seems to be a single purpose unit. Nor can it access extreme terrain, while a helicopter go virtually anywhere. On top of everything else, it needs an equally capable off road water supply to be fairly close to where it is deployed. I totally understand using firefighting robots to attack structure fires when there is a serious risk of interior collapse, or in exterior collapse zones, but the risk to personnel in brush and forest fires very rarely includes any serious collapse risk.
In the deforestation role, most US fire departments which have to deal with brush and forest fires already use large numbers of tracked bulldozers. The apparent blade attachment does not seem to be any improvement over the good old “dozer”, which has been proven effective for more than half a century - and which is of course very useful in other applications as well as firefighting.
I do wonder if - yet again - this is an answer to a question nobody is asking?
In the deforestation role, most US fire departments which have to deal with brush and forest fires already use large numbers of tracked bulldozers. The apparent blade attachment does not seem to be any improvement over the good old “dozer”, which has been proven effective for more than half a century - and which is of course very useful in other applications as well as firefighting.
I do wonder if - yet again - this is an answer to a question nobody is asking?
Added by Rob Johnson on 01 December 2023.