DE102021004272B4 - firefighting drone - Google Patents

Abstract

Firefighting drone, which is an unmanned, autonomous or remotely controllable aircraft, which has a fire hose connector through which it can be connected to a fire hose, the other end of the fire hose being connected to a pump system of a fire extinguishing device or fire engine on the Ground can be connected, from which the extinguishing agent or extinguishing water is pumped with pressure in the fire hose, - one or more extinguishing agent nozzles that can deliver the extinguishing water on a fire, - a flight propulsion system that consists of one or more thrust nozzles, - a remote control system which is coupled to the drone controller and remotely controls the electrical and electromechanical elements installed there, characterized in that it has a power source (7) and the thrust nozzles (9) can be pivoted electrically and the flight propulsion system is connected to a separate high-pressure line (2), which is significantly narrower than the fire hose (4), which is coupled to the wall of the fire hose or is directly in it, which contains pure water (6) with higher supplies pressure than the pressure prevailing in the fire hose which, via the nozzles (9), generates a recoil sufficient to levitate or fly the drone (1) and with one or more electrovalves ( 26) or flow control flaps that control the flow of water through the thrust nozzles (9) and a controller coupled to the electrovalves and to a flight stabilization system consisting of at least one thruster nozzle (28), which is mounted opposite the extinguishing agent nozzle (10) in the fire extinguishing drone and in the opposite direction emits a water jet from the high-pressure line (2), controlled by an electrovalve, which can be activated at the same time as the extinguishing agent nozzle (10) and which is controlled by the extinguishing agent compensates for the recoil generated by the nozzle.

Description

The present invention relates to a remotely controllable or autonomous unmanned fire-fighting drone capable of effectively fighting a fire in a building, particularly in a high-rise building or in difficult-to-access objects or dangerous terrain or buildings, such as nuclear reactors or chemical plants.

It is known that firefighting operations are very difficult in the event of a fire in a high-rise building / high-rise building or in an industrial area where hazardous materials are stored. If no access is possible inside the building or high-rise building, then the fire brigade tries to fight the fire from the outside. This is done with the help of rotary ladders. Unfortunately, this is not enough for very high skyscrapers. The turntable ladder cannot be made as long as you like and can therefore only be used up to a certain height. As a rule, such turntable ladders reach up to the 12th or possibly up to the 15th floor, but no more. High pressure water cannons are sometimes used on taller buildings. The effectiveness of this method is good at low altitudes, but relatively low in high buildings, considering that very large amounts of water are discharged because the water jet disperses too much with distance. In addition, the accuracy with which the water jet reaches the target also decreases.

Water cannons are capable of throwing large amounts of water at a relatively long distance. The use of water cannons minimizes the risk to firefighters. This method is particularly necessary in the case of dangerous fires or if there is a risk of explosion. However, fires that have broken out to the outside can be fought with water cannons. If a fire has broken out in a building, there is little that can be done with water cannons.

Drones can also be used to fight fires. In order to make something fly, you need a thrust that makes the aircraft fly. A water jet also creates a thrust that is dependent on the water pressure and amount of water flowing through the nozzle. Lifting objects or people with a water jet is no longer an art today. Firefighters know the strong recoil force generated by the extinguishing agent nozzles. This power is sometimes used for demonstration purposes, using it to lift relatively heavy objects into the air in a controlled manner. Some leisure equipment manufacturers also use the same effect to make people fly up in the air. Two water jet nozzles are attached to the body, which are connected to a pump device installed in a small boat via hoses. This is mostly practiced over water (at a lake or sea), for the reason that the propellant - namely the water - is sufficiently available there and the risk of injury in the event of a fall is relatively low. Thus, athletes lift up to dozens of meters in the air and float or perform various acrobatics in the air. A firefighter can also be seen on the Internet using such a device to get out of a boat in the river as far as a bridge and extinguish a burning car on the bridge. Of course, such operations are cool to see, but they don't have much in common with a real firefighting operation. Firstly, such actions are only feasible near water (at the lake or by the sea), secondly, objects or vehicles on a bridge are not always on fire.

Through the publication in the magazines in the years 2004 - 2005, a propeller-driven fire-fighting drone is known, which can fly up with a water tank of approx. 300 liters and fight a fire from outside. The drone can replace a fire-fighting helicopter and is remote-controlled. However, according to firefighting specialists and the fire brigade association, this drone is bulky, difficult to control, overall quite complicated for a fire brigade operation and therefore unsuitable.

There are many different drone designs. Almost all of them are powered by propellers, because this has proven itself and the energy efficiency is also quite good.

Generally speaking, a major disadvantage of drones powered by propellers is that they cannot get very close to the building from the outside, or even break through a pane and fly through it, because due to the propulsion, this is not without damage to the propulsion system of the drone is to be accomplished. The drone can easily touch the wall of the buildings, which can cause the drone to fall. There are also propeller cages that are supposed to protect the propellers, but small parts can still get in there. A flight inside a burning building cannot be accomplished with such drones for numerous reasons. It is also possible to use jet propulsion with kerosene, but something can be sucked into the engine air intake, that would disrupt the operation of the drone or even cause it to crash. The crash would be quite dangerous, also because such a drone could catch fire itself and the kerosene or other fuel could ignite the fire even more dangerously. Although such jet engines are powerful and can also lift a lot of weight with their thrust, the amount of extinguishing agent is still limited because it must not be too heavy in order to be able to fly stably. The use of rechargeable batteries would also be conceivable, but there are other disadvantages associated with it. When using rechargeable batteries as the energy source for the drive, the duration of use drops sharply and can possibly remain less than 10 minutes, because the rechargeable batteries not only discharge quickly under load, but also because they bring a considerable additional weight with them, which is caused by the additional performance of the drive must be compensated. Nevertheless, the drone has a small advantage: the longer it is in use, the lighter it becomes because the extinguishing agent is released. This can give her a few extra minutes of flight time, but no more. You have to consider that even a fire in the initial phase often cannot be extinguished in a few minutes, also because it can have spread to several places.

There is also the problem that with conventional small drones it is almost impossible to transport a fire hose to a certain floor on a burning high-rise building and to deliver it inside the house. A drone can do this up to a few floors, but the higher it gets, the harder it gets because the tube gets heavier, even when it's empty. But often you have to bring a bulging fire hose to the top because, for example, the operation has already started and the hose is full. Pulling the hose up the stairwell afterwards is hard work for the firefighters. It would be much simpler and easier to get the hose from the outside, e.g. one floor below the seat of the fire through a window. A drone could haul the hose up, but a small drone that's also portable, with conventional propulsion, won't be able to do it.

There are also propeller drones that are connected to a power line and also an extinguishing agent line. These drones can then remain in the air indefinitely, or as long as the power supply on the ground is guaranteed.

Extinguishing robots are also known from the prior art, which can drive up to the seat of a fire and start the fire-fighting measures there via extinguishing agent nozzles.

For example, a robot called Colossus was used to fight the fire at Notre-Dame. This is a vehicle weighing around 450kg, which has a chain drive and can therefore also climb or drive over the stairs.

In Germany, too, a firefighting robot with the abbreviation "LUF" (LUF - firefighting support vehicle) is used from time to time.

There are already from the patent applications DE 196 01 282 C1 WO 97/26048 A1 , DE 198 25 614 A1 , DE 198 25 690 A1 , EP 0 424 200 A1 , JP H06- 229 A, JP H03- 121 081 A, WO 96/34659 A1 , GB 1 191 449 A , GB 2 106 385 A , WO 93/00135 A1 and U.S. 5,788,158 A , Process known in which remotely controllable water cannons can be automatically adjusted with the help of infrared, laser and radar measuring devices so that the fire site is hit.

Likewise, from the patent applications EP 0 041 060 A2 , DE 24 47 355 B1 , DE 36 20 603 A1 and AT 366 581 B , Method known to manually adjust remote-controlled water cannon.

The registration DE 195 28 858 C2 also describes a fire-extinguishing robot that was supposed to replace humans in extinguishing work in inaccessible places or dangerous operations.

There are also numerous firefighting devices intended primarily for tunnels. Eg the registration DE 10 2007 001 184 A1 (Tunnel fire extinguishing system) describes a device that can fight a tunnel fire.

U.S. 2018/0 207 456 A1 describes a method and systems for liquid supply. In one example, the system includes a conduit for delivering pressurized fluid therethrough and having a proximal end configured to be connected to a source of fluid and a distal end having a supply outlet for dispensing the fluid in a first direction. The conduit further includes at least one jet outlet configured to deliver a fluid jet flow in a providing a second direction, different from the first direction, thereby applying thrust to at least a portion of the duct in a third direction, with a tilting mechanism configured to tilt the at least one jet outlet, thereby adjusting the third direction.

U.S. 10,150,562 B2 describes a hydraulically powered drone to deliver extinguishing fluid to an elevated location. The drone includes a housing having a primary inlet configured to receive the distal end of a fire hose, a primary outlet configured to receive the inlet end of a primary nozzle, a central passage configured to receive fluid from the directing the primary inlet to the primary outlet, and at least one secondary outlet communicating with the central passage. At least one lift nozzle communicates with the secondary outlet and is configured to direct fluid in a generally downward direction to generate upward thrust on the drone body, and at least one valve is contained within the body and configured to direct the Flow control the fluid through the primary nozzle and the at least one lifting nozzle.

WO 2020/145 820 A1 describes a nozzle assembly mounted on the carrier, the nozzle assembly comprising at least one nozzle adapted to eject a liquid, e.g. B. water, motive jet and a liquid inlet connection in fluid communication with the nozzle to connect the nozzle assembly to a source of liquid under pressure, the nozzle having a variable orientation relative to the support, a control unit operatively connected to the movable nozzle, as well as to control the orientation of the nozzle and hence the direction of the propulsion and treatment jet, a stabilizing weight suspended from the support and arranged so that a center of gravity of the device is located below the nozzle in use.

U.S. 9,751,597 B1 describes a liquid powered unmanned aerial vehicle. A water-powered or water-powered unmanned aerial vehicle having a base configured to support a payload and at least one nozzle attached thereto. The at least one nozzle is configured to selectively receive pressurized fluid from a source located remotely from the vehicle. The vehicle includes a control system configured to change or otherwise selectively mandate fluid flow through the at least one nozzle and/or orientation of the at least one nozzle relative to the base in response to a received control signal to provide controlled unmanned vehicle flight .

U.S. 2016/0 243 388 A1 describes an autonomous fire-fighting nozzle. This is an improved autonomous firefighting nozzle and head assembly that includes a system of components to support the 'hose', transport the 'nozzle/head' device via reactive jet propulsion while having no external moving parts be used, through the principle of accelerating a fluid through a plurality of lifting nozzles and using the hydraulic power of the fluid pressure to ensure reliable propulsion.

FR 3 079 814 A1 describes a firefighting device with an energy-saving drone. The invention relates to a fire extinguishing device with a fluid supply pipe, at least one drone and at least one lance rigidly connected to the drone, the drone having a propulsion system, a control system for the direction of movement of the drone, a controller configured to control the propulsion system and the control system to control the direction of movement. U.S. 8,336,805 B1

U.S. 2020/0 047 884 A1 is a firefighting drone for skyscrapers. It includes a firefighting drone having a main body, a plurality of propellers provided on an outer periphery of the main body and driven by a drive motor, a pump provided in the main body and connected to a water supply vehicle through a water supply hose, and at least one water jet nozzle provided on the outer periphery of the main body to eject water supplied from the pump, a camera provided on the outer periphery of the main body, and a controller connected to the driving motor, the pump and the camera, and connected with a remote control to be wirelessly communicable with the remote control, the remote control comprising a monitor, the monitor being able to display an image captured by the camera in real time.

Disadvantage of almost all of these inventions and devices is the high weight, bulkiness, inertia and sometimes more or less complicated application.

The invention specified in claims 1 to 28 is based on the problem of creating a small, rapidly deployable, compact, light and therefore portable fire-fighting drone with water recoil drive, which is able to extinguish a fire in a burning building, in particular in a high-rise building from the outside or inside, autonomously or manually by remote control, and to transport a fire brigade hose filled with extinguishing water to the seat of the fire or to the burning floor, whereby the extinguishing water is not used for the drive.

• - verbesserte Sicherheit bei Feuerbekämpfung, insbesondere bei Hochhäusern oder hohen Gebäuden,
• - schnell einsatzbereit,
• - einfach zu bedienen,
• - die Drohne selber ist sehr leicht und auch tragbar,
• - sehr lange bis fast unbegrenzter Betrieb, solange die Wasservorräte am Boden reichen,
• - sehr effiziente Anwendung,
• - recht starkes Antriebs-System, allerdings abhängig von Hochdruck-Pumpleitsung am Boden,
• - die Möglichkeit den Feuerwehrschlauch auch in hohen Etagen eines brennenden Hochhauses von außen oder innen zu transportieren,
• - nahezu unempfindliche, robuste Antriebsart,
• - sowohl sehr nahes heran fliegen an Gebäuden, als auch das Durchbrechen von Fensterscheiben in den Brandherd-Etagen möglich,
• - dadurch dass sie extrem kompakt und sehr klein ist, kann sie auch durch ein Fenster hindurch fliegen und das Feuer direkt in eine Wohnung, Büro oder Zimmer in sehr hohen Etagen bekämpfen,
• - auch im Inneren eines Gebäudes unkompliziert einsetzbar,
• - durch die Impuls-Strahl-Technik, kann sie Brände mit wenig Löschmittel wirksam bekämpfen,
• - wahlweise manuelles oder sensorgesteuertes, autonomes Betrieb möglich.

This problem is solved by a firefighting drone having the features of patent claims 1 to 28. Advantages of the invention are:

• - improved safety in firefighting, especially in high-rise buildings or tall buildings,
• - quickly ready for use,
• - easy to handle,
• - the drone itself is very light and also portable,
• - very long to almost unlimited operation, as long as the water supplies on the ground last,
• - very efficient application,
• - Quite strong propulsion system, but dependent on high-pressure pump line on the ground,
• - the possibility of transporting the fire hose from the outside or inside, even on the high floors of a burning high-rise building,
• - almost insensitive, robust type of drive,
• - both flying very close to buildings and breaking through window panes on the fire source floors possible,
• - being extremely compact and very small, it can also fly through a window and fight the fire directly into an apartment, office or room on very high floors,
• - also easy to use inside a building,
• - thanks to the impulse jet technique, it can effectively fight fires with little extinguishing agent,
• - optional manual or sensor-controlled, autonomous operation possible.

• 1 eine Lösch-Drohne mit dem Wasserstrahl-Antrieb,
• 2 die in dem Feuerwehrschlauch drin eingebaute Hochdruckleitung,
• 3 das Rückstoß-Ausgleichs-System bei den Löscharbeiten,
• 4 eine Ausführung der Drohne in Kugelform,
• 5 eine Variante, bei der der Wasserstoff-Brennvorgang als Druckerzeuger für den Antrieb benutzt wird,
• 6 eine Variante mit getrennte Brennkammer,
• 7 eine Mehrkammer-Ausführung,
• 8 eine drehbare Revolver-Kammer-System,
• 9 eine Ausführung, bei der der Wasserstoff-Brennvorgang als Druckerzeuger für die Löschmittel-Düse verwendet wird,
• 10 eine Drohne mit einem Laser-Lenk-System,
• 11 eine Variante mit einem Lichtstrahls-Steuer-System.

Embodiments of the invention are based on the 1 until 11 explained. Show it:

• 1 a fire-fighting drone with water jet propulsion,
• 2 the high-pressure line built into the fire hose,
• 3 the recoil compensation system during extinguishing work,
• 4 a version of the drone in spherical form,
• 5 a variant in which the hydrogen combustion process is used as a pressure generator for the drive,
• 6 a variant with separate combustion chamber,
• 7 a multi-chamber version,
• 8th a rotating turret chamber system,
• 9 an embodiment in which the hydrogen combustion process is used as the pressure generator for the extinguishing agent nozzle,
• 10 a drone with a laser guidance system,
• 11 a variant with a light beam control system.

The invention is a drone 1 that is not, as usual, powered by a propeller, but solely by the thrust of the water that is pumped into a separate high-pressure line 2 by a high-pressure pump 3 on the ground (from an emergency fire-fighting vehicle) ( 1 ).

This drone is connected to a fire hose 4 with the help of a coupling 5 and pulls it with the firefighting operation. As a result, it is supplied with extinguishing agent directly through the fire hose. The additional, significantly narrower high-pressure line (or high-pressure hose) 2 supplies it with pure water 6, which also generates the thrust for the drive. This eliminates the need for a water tank and a powerful power source for the drive. All you need is a small power source to control the functions. This can be implemented in the form of a small lithium battery 7 . If power consumption devices are to be built into the drone, such as powerful lighting for night operations, which is intended to illuminate the surroundings intensively, then the power supply can also be provided by power lines that are integrated into the fire hose or simply plugged into it. In this case, an energy source on the ground, for example in a fire engine, would be integrated or plugged into the fire hose via a fine power line and electrically coupled to the drone. The propulsion, which comes from water thrust, is very strong, the propulsion system is robust and almost indestructible. Because the drone only flies by the thrust generated by water jets 8 via propulsion nozzles (thrust nozzles) 9, it is also very compact in terms of dimensions. The thrust nozzles 9 are swiveling and spherically installed under the drone and allow the water jet to be directed in any direction. The movement of the nozzles is accomplished by an electronic controller and actuators. The drone has at least one extinguishing agent nozzle 10 which is coupled to the extinguishing agent line/fire hose and is intended for firefighting. Through the fire hose 4 extinguishing water 11 with additives or an extinguishing foam can be transported.

It is both obvious and tempting to use the pressure/kinetic energy of the extinguishing agent flowing through the fire hose to propel it through the nozzles. However, from many perspectives this would not be an optimal solution. The extinguishing agent that comes out of the fire engine on the ground is released through the fire hose at a pressure of approx. 8 - 22 bar. This is completely sufficient for extinguishing purposes, but it would be a bit too low for the drive. This drone here should also be optimized for firefighting in high-rise buildings and it cannot reach the high floors, e.g. 25 - 100 with 8 - 22 bar. You have to consider that with increasing altitude there is a drop in pressure, or the pressure in the end of the hose is lower and the fire hose is pulled up with every meter, becoming heavier, which would pull the drone down more and more. A prototype with direct drive of the extinguishing water and four nozzles directed downwards, which I tested in 2014, only reached a maximum height of approx. 8-10m. It was very difficult to control because the pressure readings kept changing as the fire hose moved. In addition, when using the extinguishing agent as a propulsion jet, the amount of extinguishing agent that is lost is enormous. Also, the fact that additives are often added to the extinguishing water to reduce surface tension, or that extinguishing foam is sometimes used instead of water, diverting the jet of extinguishing agent for propulsion purposes makes little sense. Even with the experiment back then, the area was massively flooded with water within minutes, which is why this method was rejected and another solution was sought, which is now presented here.

Conventional fire hoses are only designed for pressure values of 25 bar (brand new ones can withstand approx. 50-60 bar). The fire hoses are classified in several groups or types / sizes. E.g. C pressure hoses have a diameter of 42 or 53mm or B group 72mm. A size hoses are typically 110mm in diameter. Special additional hoses with small diameters are to be used for the invention, which can withstand pressure units between 100 and 300 bar. The narrower the hoses, the easier it is for the drone to pull along. These high-pressure hoses are inserted into the fire hose and connected to a high-pressure pump 3 on the ground, while the fire hose continues to be connected to a connection point 12 on the fire engine or hydrant, as before. A connector 13 branches the high-pressure line to join the wall thereof while being coupled to the emergency vehicle or hydrant. On its wall in the appropriate place (with or without a valve), a coupling ring 71 is installed, through which the high-pressure line is coupled to the high-pressure pump 3 via a high-pressure hose 14 .

Fire hoses 4 are now made of synthetic fiber fabric (polyester) and are rubberized on the inside. They are generally flexible in shape and they fold flat. Those with a diameter of approx. 72mm are often used (type C). The usual operating pressure is up to 17 bar. They should generally be able to withstand up to 25 bar without bursting. Although brand-new hoses only burst at a pressure of 50-60 bar, you have to take into account that the hoses are repeatedly or often ver turned over and micro-folds or micro-cracks can form, which sooner or later become weak points.

In the invention here it is proposed to use a second hose (high-pressure line) 2 with a substantially smaller diameter than the fire hose for the driving force. This hose will transport pure water and will be supplied with pressure of several hundred bars by a high-pressure pump 3 on the ground. The water, which is supplied into the drone at high pressure, creates jets of water through the nozzles, which give the drone powerful thrust. Due to the much higher pressure energy, the recoil water jets emitted downwards consume significantly less water with the same thrust that could be achieved with extinguishing water. With pressure values that are 16 times higher, significantly smaller amounts of water are required (approx. 4 times less) to let the drone rise at the same height. The faster the water jet that generates the thrust, the less water you need for it. With the pressure, the thrust also increases. This method also has the advantage that the drone can transport the fire hose to the top of a high-rise building from the outside. Once on the spot, a firefighter can, for example, get the drone out of a window, disconnect it from the fire hose and use the hose for extinguishing purposes.

The high-pressure hose (the high-pressure line) for the drive can be attached to the outside of the fire hose, but because it is significantly narrower than the fire hose, it can also be plugged into the fire hose as an option. This method is optimally suited for our purposes, because then the two hoses cannot get tangled in each other ( 2 ). It would only have to be fixed at the beginning and end by a fixing part 15 so that it does not move back and forth in the fire hose. The fixing part can be, for example, a small wheel with spokes, in the center of which the high-pressure hose is fixed. In addition, the high-pressure hose should be designed to be just as long as the fire hose and centered at each coupling point by the fixing part so that it can be coupled with a counterpart of another hose for the purpose of extension. First you couple the high-pressure line to the extension and then the fire hose to the extension.

The water is discharged at high pressure through electrically rotating spherical nozzles, which are directed downwards for the propulsion force, and the drone and fire hose rise upwards. The fire hose is under the drone and coupled in the middle for good flight characteristics. The nozzles are arranged around the coupling point with the fire hose. This guarantees excellent balance when the drone climbs high and pulls the fire hose with it. The point at which the fire hose is coupled to the drone may be a pivoting tube 16, which may also be leveled (e.g. for low-level operations). Then the hose would be directed in such a way that it would be coupled to the drone on the side. Another way of making the coupling point, at which the fire hose is coupled to the drone, movable or pivotable in any direction is to accommodate it in a spherical shape or in a spherical housing 69 that is installed in a spherical socket 70.

With this drone, buildings up to 100 floors high can be reached from the outside at any point. With a total thrust nozzle aperture of only 10mm, at 300 bar, the total thrust of the nozzles is approx. 4420 N, which corresponds to approx. 450 kg. If the fire hose together with the high-pressure line weighs 2 kg per meter, then the drone can fly over 200 m high with this power. For comparison, with the extinguishing agent thrust, it would only have flown about 10 to 15m high with the same nozzle aperture. To prevent the fire hose and the high-pressure line from getting tangled up in one another, the high-pressure line should simply be inserted into the fire hose. The high-pressure line has, for example, an outside diameter of 15 mm and could easily be accommodated in a fire hose. The high-pressure line that is inside the fire hose creates resistance to the extinguishing water that flows there, but that is negligible. The high-pressure hoses are a bit more stable than normal hoses and cannot be squeezed together by the water pressure that occurs outside of the fire hose. Therefore there is no additional resistance inside the high-pressure line. The high-pressure line should be just as long as the fire hose and also equipped with couplings that allow the hoses to be lengthened. The high-pressure line would have to be fixed at both ends of the fire hose in such a way that it does not impede the flow of extinguishing water, but also does not slip back and forth in the fire hose. The fixing part can be built in the form of a spoked wheel (or spoked cylinder) that is stuck or loose in the fire hose and at the same time fixes the high-pressure line in the center ( 2 ).

Driven by the water's thrust, the drone lifts itself up and pulls the increasingly heavy extinguishing agent fire hose with it. However, not too large fire hoses should be used, because then they fill with water, become much too heavy and lifting / pulling up requires enormous pressure. Both the fire brigade hose and the high-pressure line should have as small an inside diameter as possible.

Optimal would be 20 - 30mm in the inner cross-section for the fire hose and approx. 10mm for the high-pressure line. The decisive factor is the water pressure that is generated in the high-pressure line. Of course, with a lower coefficient of friction of the inner wall of the high-pressure water hose, a slightly higher flight altitude can be expected. An example is shown on the table. Extinguishing agent hose internal cross-section (m) 0.03 Pressure generated on the ground (bar) 300 Total nozzle cross-section (mm) 4 Nozzle Flow Volume - Water Volume / Minute in L 178 Jet speed (m/s) 237.36 Drone Net Weight (kg) 1.2 Weight of hose (filled with water) per m (kg) 0.70685775 Theoretical flight altitude of the drone (m) 98 Hose pressure at max. flight altitude (bar) 270 Actual maximum flight altitude of the drone (m) 74 Weight of high-pressure line + water per m (kg) 0.22 Thrust (N) 707

From the table you can see that the drone can pull a 30mm fire hose filled with extinguishing agent together with the high-pressure hose (10mm outer diameter) approx. 74m up and also hold the position in stationary flight, with a water pressure of approx. 300 bars.

There are about 178 liters of water per minute discharged through the nozzles 9, which comes down. The higher the drone flies, the more widely the water from the jets of water scatters, coming down like rain. If the high-pressure line is built into the fire hose, then the additional weight of the high-pressure line per meter length is missing (because it replaces the displaced water column in the fire hose), which allows the drone to fly 25 - 30% higher. In our example, it could reach the desired 98m flight altitude. With a total nozzle opening of 7mm, a flight altitude of over 200 m can be achieved (unfortunately with a water loss of 550 l / min). The total nozzle opening means the added area of the circles in the openings of all nozzles together. Eg on a 7mm nozzle opening you have a circular area of 38mm ² . With 4 nozzles, each nozzle would have an area of approx. 9.6mm ² , which means a nozzle opening of each individual nozzle of 3.5mm (diameter). If you would only use the pressure of the extinguishing water, the drone would only generate about 130N thrust, which would only be enough for a flight altitude of about 10 - 14m.

If only delivery of the fire hose to firefighters in a high-rise building is desired, the high-pressure line (high-pressure hose) can be left detachably connected or fixed outside of the fire hose. In this case, the fire hose does not necessarily have to be filled with extinguishing water during transport, but can be transported up there empty. As soon as the fire brigade gets the fire hose through a building window, for example, and secures the hose with a fastening clip on the window frame, for example, the pumping of the extinguishing agent can begin.

The aim of the invention is, as far as possible, to integrate or use the technical resources that are already available. That is why the already standardized hose couplings, fire brigade extinguishers or high-pressure water pumps are included. The pressure generated for the fire-fighting work (can reach up to 25 bar) in the fire hoses is sufficient to carry out the fire-fighting work in one to 200m high building. There would be a pressure drop of approx. 1 bar per 10m water column (practically a bit more, because the inner wall friction in the hose also has to be taken into account). If you increase the pressure a little, that's enough for higher altitudes. However, the propulsion force via the additional line with high pressure can allow the drone to climb much higher (due to an increase in pressure or a larger nozzle opening).

As soon as the drone has reached the necessary flight altitude and the fire site (e.g. an apartment on the 48th floor in a burning high-rise building), it is rotated or pivoted by remote control so that the extinguishing nozzle 10 is aimed at the fire site 17. For these purposes, cameras 18, IR/temperature sensors 19, gravity sensors 20, altitude sensors 21 and range finders 22 built into the drone are very helpful. A target marker made of a laser diode 23 (similar to the laser pointer) can also be installed in such a way that a laser beam 24 is projected where the jet of extinguishing agent 25 would also hit. The method works perfectly up to a distance between the drone and the fire of 8 or 10 m. For a reliable laser marking of the point of impact of the extinguishing agent beam at greater distances between the drone and the source of the fire, the laser diode would have to be installed so that it can be electrically pivoted and coupled with an evaluation unit and a range finder. This is the only way to correct the projection of the laser beams, whereby the laser point is swiveled down so far that the jet of extinguishing agent and the laser beam hit the same area. As soon as the drone is aimed at the seat of the fire, an electrovalve 26 is opened by remote control 27 from the ground, the extinguishing water / extinguishing agent jet 25 flows out and hits the fire 17. The extinguishing agent jet that is emitted from the extinguishing nozzle for firefighting , also generates a recoil/thrust force that is not to be underestimated. You can see how much the firefighters have to lean forward when the jet of water is released to balance the recoil force. Here she can quickly unbalance the drone. There are numerous empirical experiments, mostly made for fun by firefighters, where the pressure of the water jets coming out of several hoses is so high that even a car levitates. Numerous attempts can be seen on the Internet to see how objects, including vehicles, are made to levitate simply by the water pressure from the fire hoses. In order to compensate for this recoil generated by the extinguishing agent nozzle, the propulsion nozzles can be pivoted at the same time as the extinguishing agent is released in such a way that they attempt to compensate for the recoil. However, an optimal recoil compensation can also be achieved by a built-in recoil compensation nozzle 28. This nozzle is directed in such a way that a high-pressure jet of water is emitted in exactly the opposite direction. The nozzle is supplied with water through the high-pressure line. This nozzle is also controlled by an electrovalve 29. A control signal from a control unit 30 is intended to control both electrovalves simultaneously, so that the two nozzles (extinguishing agent nozzle and recoil compensation nozzle) are opened at the same time. Flow sensors, pressure sensors or inertial sensors in the drone can automatically control the electrovalve that opens the thruster. The flow at both nozzles should be controlled by stepless valves so that a precise recoil compensation takes place. Of course, due to the much higher pressure values, significantly less water comes out of the recoil compensation nozzle than through the extinguishing water nozzle.

Recoil compensation can also be achieved in a very simple way, without calculations and special valve control. One would simply have to install a T-pipe 31 in, below or above the drone, which has two identical nozzles and is connected to the vertical pipe part 32 on the fire hose via an electrovalve. As soon as the electrovalve 33 is opened, the extinguishing water flows from the bottom up into the vertical part of the T-pipe and branches into two parts in the horizontal pipe 34 at the top ( 3 ). The extinguishing water then flows out evenly through two opposing nozzles, with one nozzle hitting the fire with the jet of extinguishing agent, while the other nozzle sends the extinguishing water backwards into the empty space or in the opposite direction. This would also enable a recoil-free extinguishing agent delivery to the fire site, but half of the extinguishing water would have to be wasted. This method should not be used when using extinguishing foam.

The drone can be built a bit more complicated with a lot of equipment or it can be made very simple and extremely robust. For simple purposes, it would be sufficient to build a spherical drone that is only slightly larger than a tennis ball. This sphere 35 would be fitted with three or four electrically pivotable thrusters 9 mounted in small, rotatable, submerged spheres 36 ( 4 ). An electronic controller 30 can be installed in the drone, which regulates the flight characteristics in such a way that a flight controller is adapted to the pressure values of the high-pressure line. A small fluid chamber 37 in the drone is flooded by the high-pressure water from the high-pressure line, distributing the water into three or four short manifolds 38 that carry the what water to the thrust nozzles 9. Thrust will be regulated by individually controllable electrovalves 39 on respective nozzles. This can be realized, for example, by continuously adjustable electric valves or throttle valves. In addition, the nozzles can be swiveled electrically in all directions. This allows the drone to fly in any direction or turn.

In contrast to a propeller-driven drone, which was presented by a designer in 2004 and was equipped with an extinguishing tank (approx. 300 liters), the drone now no longer has to have an extinguishing agent supply on board as a result of the invention, because it is always Replenishment comes from below via the hoses. It also has a pulse jet system for the extinguishing agent that generates a pulse jet of extinguishing agent directly into the drone and emits it via extinguishing agent nozzles, whereby the extinguishing process can be made more effective. The pulse jet system is able to generate high-pressure extinguishing jets that can optimally extinguish a fire.

By using this drive system, the drone is very light (approx. 1.2 kg) and above all extremely powerful. In addition, it is very compact, so that it can fly optimally high inside a building and also in the stairwells. In particular, the spherical shape of the drone represents an extremely robust construction. Collisions against walls or objects do not bother the drone. Equipped with a robust housing (e.g. made of metal, alloy, carbon or special plastic), the drone is almost indestructible. It can easily withstand bumps or falls without damage. There is also almost nothing in it that could break. The drive system is practically indestructible. The electronics and controls are virtually impervious to shock because circuits are now integrated, small, and mostly encapsulated (potted). For better protection, the electronic elements can also be embedded in a rubber compound. The electrovalves are also very robust. Because the propellers are missing, nothing can be broken if the drone should ever crash. The nozzles should be in small, rotatable spheres that are almost completely submerged in the drone's sphere body. Thus they are unassailable from the outside. Because the high-pressure line is inside the fire hose, nothing can get tangled up.

The drone gets enough thrust from the pressure from high-pressure pumps on the ground and high-pressure line, but for operations in very large high-rise buildings, the pressure on both the propulsion water jets of the drone and the pressure of the extinguishing agent jet can be increased by other measures. In one variant, the high pressure is generated directly in the drone by fuel gas or oxyhydrogen mini-explosions and used for water and extinguishing agent displacement from the drone through the thrust nozzles. The high-pressure generation directly in the drone has a number of advantages. No high-pressure lines or high-pressure hoses are required to carry the high-pressure water to the drone from the fire engine on the ground. Because the high pressure is not transmitted via hoses but generated directly in the drone, the weight of the hoses is also lower because they do not have to be extremely stable. You only have to withstand enough pressure to be able to transport the water or extinguishing water up to the flight altitude of the drone. That would be 1 bar per 10m, or slightly higher because of the pressure loss in the hoses. Because no extinguishing water or extinguishing agent should flow through the thrust nozzles, but only pure water from the pressure line, the area is not flooded with extinguishing agent.

As described above, for operations in very large high-rise buildings several hundred meters high, the drone can be equipped with its own active propulsion system, which further supports its flight ability and effectiveness. An electric drive and propeller are out of the question because they can quickly break if the drone should touch anything. The drive system here consists of a combustion chamber 40, which is partly filled with water from the high-pressure line 2 and partly with a hydrogen - oxygen mixture (oxyhydrogen) or another combustible gas through a pressure bottle 41 or an injector 42 ( 5 ). The combustion chamber is inside the drone and can be cylindrical, oval or hollow spherical in shape. An injector 42 built into the drone pumps oxyhydrogen or butane gas 43 into the combustion chamber. Due to the buoyancy, the oxyhydrogen stays on top and the water below. Also located in the combustion chamber is an ignition system consisting of high-voltage electrodes 44 and a high-voltage source 45, which functions in a manner similar to a spark plug in a gasoline engine. As soon as a portion of oxyhydrogen (or butane gas + oxygen mixture) is pumped in, an electric spark will ignite the gas with high voltage. The drive is designed similar to a pulse engine. However, the released kinetic energy of the explosively expanding gas is not used here to generate the thrust, but rather its potential energy is released directly onto the water 6 at the point of ignition, which in turn gains kinetic energy as a result. The potentials energy built up by the generated blast pressure is passed on to the water in the combustion chamber, where the water is displaced at high speed. This creates impulse jets of water that flow out of the propulsion thrusters and give the drone enormous thrust. In order to ensure an even transfer of energy to the water, an elastic, expandable membrane 46 can be installed, which serves as a partition between the oxyhydrogen and the water. Although this is not absolutely necessary, it can optimize the pressure distribution. As soon as the combustion chamber is empty, control valves (or control flaps) are opened and filled again with water from the high-pressure line at lightning speed. The valves can also be installed here as passive, mechanically controlled check valves 47, which control the water flow direction in a self-regulating manner based on the pressure differences. In that case, there would be a single shut-off valve that shuts off the water inlet of the high-pressure line into the drone in such a way that no water can flow back into the high-pressure line if a high-pressure mini-explosion takes place in the combustion chamber. By the way, the combustion chamber is filled here with pure water from the high-pressure line, but the pressure values in the high-pressure line can be much lower than in other variants that use the pressure from the high-pressure line directly for the drive. Here 15 - 25 bar are completely sufficient. This would only have to be able to bridge the water delivery height, that's all you need. With 25 bar an approx. 250m high water column can be generated. The oxyhydrogen ignition produces mini-explosions, each generating a thrust impulse. However, the mini-explosions have to be generated repeatedly very quickly in order to maintain the thrust. This does not produce a continuous beam. But the driving force is there, even if in pulse form. A second variant can be equipped with several combustion chambers that alternately generate the jet impulses. Here several combustion chambers are controlled in such a way that they alternately generate the mini-explosions ( 7 ). The timing of the lack of driving force of one combustion chamber is compensated by each time the other combustion chamber goes into operation during an inactive phase of the other pressure chamber. The alternating activation of the combustion chamber ensures that a driving force is generally generated and maintained almost permanently.

The combustion chamber is flooded with water. Immediately thereafter, a small quantity of oxyhydrogen (or butane gas) 43 mixed with fresh air is injected into the combustion chamber 40 by the injector 42 . The hydrogen ignites at lightning speed, reaches maximum expansion and ejects the water at high pressure from the combustion chamber through the nozzles, which are connected to the combustion chamber directly or through pipes, in the form of propulsion jets. Although the pressure in the combustion chamber is many times higher, the water cannot flow back into the high-pressure line because a check valve there immediately blocks access. The check valve only allows water to flow from the high-pressure line into the drone's combustion chamber, but not vice versa. On the 5 a drone is shown with a combustion chamber in which a small, proportioned amount of a gas, preferably butane gas or oxyhydrogen 43 consisting of hydrogen + oxygen (H ² + pure O ² or from the air) is ignited. A reservoir 48, constructed like a small cartridge or cartridge, containing hydrogen (or butane gas) compressed under pressure, is connected to the combustion chamber via an electrovalve 26. The combustion chamber is additionally coupled with the propulsion nozzles and the high-pressure line, which supplies pure water under high pressure. A small check valve 47 is built into the drone right at the outlet of the high-pressure line. It only allows the high pressure water to flow in one direction: from the hose into the combustion chamber. An electronic controller and a high-voltage generator 45 with an energy source 49 in the form of a small battery are also built into the drone. Two or more electrodes are installed in the combustion chamber. As soon as this chamber is filled with butane gas or with a mixture of hydrogen + oxygen or air, an electric spark between the electrodes will ignite it. An explosion is created, which exerts a very high pressure (several hundreds of bars) on the water in the combustion chamber and quickly displaces it. Because the shut-off valve closes immediately in the event of excess pressure and does not allow the extinguishing agent to flow back into the high-pressure hose, the entire amount of water in the combustion chamber is displaced via the propulsion nozzles. Depending on the size of the combustion chamber, the amount of water can be 250ml or even a liter or more. This quantity of water is discharged through the jets at a very high speed. Rather, it is an impulse jet that lasts relatively short but has a very high speed. As soon as the water is forced out of the combustion chamber, the pressure drops by itself and the water can enter the combustion chamber again. Immediately afterwards or at the same time, the combustion chamber is also filled with a hydrogen + air mixture and renewed ignition is caused by electrodes. Again a high-pressure jet pulse is emitted and the process repeats itself over and over again. The repeat frequency of the burn processes can be set quite high, for example up to 20Hz or more. The user can control the number of pulses via a switch or via the controls in the remote control 50.

Using the combustor and hydrogen explosion method greatly simplifies the high-pressure pumping system. Instead of heavy high-pressure pumps, elements and components are used here that are only a fraction of the weight that a high-pressure pump would have. The combustion chamber is hollow and only accounts for 10% of the weight compared to the high-pressure pump. The hydrogen container can be designed in the form of a light aluminum cylinder 48, which is of course built somewhat sturdily.

For the separation between gas and liquid in the combustion chamber, a piston or an elastic, stretchable separating membrane 46, which transfers the pressure of the expanding gas or vapor to the water by the hydrogen combustion process, can be installed ( 6 ). It is also made of lightweight material and with its ring-shaped, concentrically arranged folds, it almost looks like the coil membrane of a loudspeaker. Such a high-pressure pump system generates enormously high pressure values. And although the pressure is released in impulses, this method, regardless of whether it is used as a propulsion system for the drone or as an impulse extinguishing agent release, can prove to be optimal, especially for firefighting work.

In a further variant, the drive can be implemented via rotatable turret combustion chambers 51 ( 8th ). The combustion chambers are arranged like the magazine in a revolver and rotate. Every time one is turned, a small amount of hydrogen is ignited there and the water is forced out of the combustion chamber. Immediately after ignition, the magazine rotates and the pressure chamber comes into a position where the rear section opens and the water flows in. During the second partial rotation or displacement, the pressure chamber is closed at the back and the combustion chamber is filled with hydrogen. The third partial rotation brings the two chambers into their starting position, opening the front part of the pressure chamber and ignition takes place. At that point, the water is thrown out of the pressure chamber at high speed. The process repeats itself with each chamber group again and again. The higher the rotation speed of the chamber, the stronger the thrust. The rotation takes place electrically or by the thrust of the water. This method requires no valves at all, including electric or reed valves. The walls of the capsule in which the combustion chambers are located and rotate serve as valves. The walls of the capsule are only open at certain points, which are only available to the chambers during certain rotation cycles. The thrust is enormous and can make the drone fly several hundred meters, dragging the increasingly heavy extinguishing agent hose with it. On the ground, this drone can pull the hose behind it several hundred meters independently and solely by its thrust. The water consumption is relatively low compared to the thrust force generation method solely from the pressure force of the extinguishing water. However, this device is also built much more complicated. The thrust, which is generated by igniting oxyhydrogen gas and repelling the water, occurs in impulses and the drone rises with violent jumping movements. The explosive expansion of the oxyhydrogen in the combustion chamber is violent, but the thrust is not sufficient to get the drone to fly through gas recoil alone. Of course, if you use large amounts of hydrogen for it, it flies quite well, but here the hydrogen is used sparingly. That is why water is used for the recoil jet. Due to the displacement of water from the combustion chamber, the thrust is a lot higher than it could be generated by gas escaping from the nozzle alone. The mass of the water compared to the mass of the gas makes all the difference. Because the drone is constantly supplied with water, there is no shortage of water.

Upon reaching the seat of the fire, the same hydrogen thrust method can also be used to generate a high-pressure extinguishing water jet, which can be used as an extinguishing jet. A second combustion chamber 52 can be installed for this purpose, into which the extinguishing agent/extinguishing water 11 penetrates, which is also displaced by oxyhydrogen explosions and generates an extinguishing agent jet that hits the seat of the fire in pulse form at high speed. But you can use the same combustion chamber for water displacement and extinguishing agent delivery at the same time ( 9 ). It is sufficient to divide the combustion chamber into three parts by two elastic (or stretchable) membranes 46 in such a way that the oxyhydrogen is injected into one part and extinguishing water 11 and water 6 from corresponding lines penetrate into the other two parts. An oxyhydrogen explosion in the part of the combustion chamber into which the oxyhydrogen is injected causes displacement or expansion of the two membranes 46, each of which generates pressure on the respective fluids located there and forces them out of the nozzles. Pistons can also be used instead of membranes. A very fast jet of extinguishing agent is thus generated, which is released at high pressure and hits the seat of the fire. In this case, the fire would be extinguished very effectively and quickly with high-pressure impulse extinguishing agent jets. The pressure can reach several hundred or even thousands of bar in pulses and for a short time and a burning object can be destroyed by pulses extinguish dusty extinguishing water or targeted high-pressure extinguishing water jets at lightning speed. Because the impulses can be generated as often as you like, a very efficient extinguishing process is achieved, which takes place with little extinguishing agent or extinguishing water. Because this high-pressure pulse jet of extinguishing agent creates a flight-destabilizing thrust for the drone, a pressure-compensating jet is simultaneously generated through an opposing nozzle, keeping the drone's attitude stable.

It should be mentioned that the drone can always remain switched to flow, even when the mini-explosions in the combustion chamber are taking place. The shut-off valves each close the supply lines automatically and only for a very short time, as long as the pressure in the combustion chamber is higher than the pressure in the lines. If the pressure in the combustion chamber drops, these valves open and the drone can continue to emit the extinguishing agent jet and the water propulsion jets (of course with significantly lower pressure).

The flight altitude of the drone is determined by two parameters: the pressure in the combustion chamber and the frequency with which the mini-explosions are generated. The pressure in the combustion chamber depends on the amount of oxyhydrogen / butane gas. The more oxyhydrogen that is pumped in, the higher the explosion pressure. The higher the frequency of the mini-explosions, the stronger the driving force. Increasing either parameter will cause the drone to fly higher. Of course you can also increase both parameters at the same time. This would allow the drone to accelerate upwards more strongly.

With this drone, any extinguishing agent and extinguishing foam can be used for the extinguishing work, because what is transported through the fire hose is irrelevant here. The propulsion is generated anyway by pressure on pure water. In any case, the drone should be remote-controlled and equipped with an automatic support system that supports flying and navigation. Sensor systems that localize the fire and cameras are helpful. Especially when there is a fire in a high-rise building, you can no longer precisely control the drone from the ground. Considering that at 100m it appears like a small dot in the sky, it is difficult to steer it at the right height. Cameras, altimeter sensors, IR heat detectors, GPS and other technical refinements help to automatically keep the altitude.

The drone, which has arrived or flown to the scene, can also be used like a normal multi-purpose jet nozzle by the firefighters who are there. For such purposes, or for manual operation, it can be equipped with one or more handles by which it can be held firmly. A sensor switch or a pressure switch or a mechanical valve coupled to a lever can be installed in the handles, which automatically or manually closes all other nozzles. Only the extinguishing agent / extinguishing water nozzle should remain open and controllable. This would disable the drive and the drone could be used almost like a conventional extinguishing agent nozzle.

The drone is equipped with complex nozzle control technology, capable of quickly controlling multiple nozzles in real time. Both the jet direction and the flow rate of water can be regulated. The drone is equipped with a standardized fire hose coupling part 5, through which it can be coupled to any fire hose end. Adapter pieces that can accommodate different hose sizes are also conceivable. The advantage of this technology is also the possibility of quick transport of the hose ends to the place of use or the source of the fire. In a high-rise or high-rise building, the fire hose does not necessarily have to be dragged inside the building by the firefighters, but the hose can be flown directly from the outside to the source of the fire by the drone. The firefighters can take the drone out of a window opening, e.g. one floor below where the source of the fire is, intercept the drone, decouple the hose from the drone (or switch the drone to multi-purpose jet pipe mode) and use a fire brigade extinguishing agent Connect the nozzle to the end of the hose. The hose would then be ready for use. In order to stop the flow of firefighting water while the drone is being decoupled, a standard shut-off valve can be integrated directly into the end of the hose, which interrupts the water flow when decoupling. With spherical, extremely light drones, you don't have to decouple them to manually extinguish a fire. You simply switch the drone to flow and the extinguishing agent then comes out of the drone unhindered through an extinguishing agent nozzle. One (or more) small cameras built into the drone transmit real-time video images wirelessly to a monitor (or laptop/smartphone) on the ground. With a microphone or, even better, a hands-free device, you can hear noises or speak to people who are there. Infrared sensors can also locate a fire source in dense smoke. sure From a distance, the drone is guided to the source of the fire, targeted and the extinguishing agent nozzle is opened by remote control. While a state-of-the-art fire-fighting drone is bulky, has a sensitive design due to the propeller drive and can only remain in the air to a limited extent, this drone is very compact, small and robust. In addition, it is extremely powerful and can remain in the air for any length of time, depending on how the water pressure supply should come from the ground device, which clearly sets it apart from a state-of-the-art firefighting drone. The power consumption is very low and a small battery, weighing a few hundred grams, comparable to that of mobile phones, can power the drone for dozens of hours or more. The electricity is not used for the drive but only for the radio elements or radio transmission of the signals or data and for the nozzle control, which means that the power consumption is relatively low.

The fire hose that transports the extinguishing agent or extinguishing water should be fireproof, i.e. made of a non-combustible material. That would be necessary because the firefighting drone would possibly pull the hose in the middle of the fire and that could become a problem if the hose burst.

The use of this invention can save lives of firefighters in dangerous operations. The invention is an optimal solution, particularly for fire-fighting operations, where there is a risk of explosion. The use of this invention is presented as follows: the fire brigade arrives with fire engines. The fire hose with the high-pressure line inside is rolled out of the hose reel. The remote-controlled device (fire-fighting drone) is coupled to the end of the hose. No extinguishing water is sent through the fire hose yet, but the high-pressure water from the high-pressure pump is. Once the high-pressure water has reached the drone and the pressure has built up, you can remotely command it to climb (by pressing the up flight button). Because the drone may not be positioned optimally when unpacked, a built-in gravity sensor, which is paired with the thrusters can be helpful to automatically level the drone up for flight. When you press the button on the remote control, the drone flies up. Once that is done, you can continue to use the remote control to control the thrusters. The thrusters are built-in electrically movable by actuators and can be controlled in groups or individually.The control is supported by a microprocessor or computer.A gravity sensor or a gyro sensor built into the drone can detect the drone's position in real time and the signals forwarded to the controller, which uses the signals to stabilize the flight attitude. The remote control can be done by a remote control via joystick, a smartphone, iPad or touchscreen. Because the radio connection, e.g. via Bluetooth or WLAN via a smartphone / tablet, is relatively weak and the signals have a short range, the connection should not be made directly with the drone but via the drone's remote control. In this case, the smartphone is connected to the remote control via radio and the signals are then sent bidirectionally to the drone via the remote control. The remote control / remote control should master these radio interfaces (WLAN or Bluetooth modules can be installed there) and serve as a "signal amplifier". The radio wave frequency that the remote control uses to control the drone does not have to be the same as the WiFi or Bluetooth devices frequency, but can be lower or higher. By implementing a smartphone (tablet or computer) to control the drone, the remote control unit can be made relatively simple. A smartphone comes with everything that enables convenient control (touch display, cameras, sensors, GPS, etc.). With control commands, the drone moves in all desired directions. The controls are similar to conventional RC drones. To avoid wasting extinguishing agent or doing side damage, the extinguishing agent nozzles remain closed until the target or heat source has been reached. As soon as the source of the fire has been localized, the extinguishing agent nozzle is aimed at it either by the microprocessor (IR sensor-controlled) or manually by remote control and then opened by remote control.

Using an app on a tablet PC or smartphone and entering the address of the drone accordingly, while complying with security precautions, such as password protection for access to the control of the drone, these can be controlled individually or several at the same time. For experienced users, manual control is not a problem, but you have to keep in mind that the fire brigade can also employ not very experienced people with it. They're trained to fight a fire effectively, but not necessarily to fly a drone. In addition, there is the hectic pace in an emergency, which requires uncomplicated operation of the drone. Therefore, electronic support and maybe hardware with artificial intelligence can be helpful. The nozzles have a spherical shape or are installed in small balls 53 and are each installed in a ball socket 54 so that they can rotate electrically. The rotation takes place by actuators or by magnetic field interaction depending an electromagnet 55 statically built into the ball socket and a magnet 56 built into each of the nozzles.

The body of the drone can be disc-shaped or sphere-shaped from a light material, e.g. metal alloy or e.g. carbon. The drone contains an electronic controller 30 that controls the nozzles, a radio signal system 27 that can receive and transmit radio signals, a small video camera that can be swiveled in any direction, numerous sensors, and a light source, preferably one or more LED-s or laser diodes 57 that can illuminate the area. UV laser diodes or IR LEDs can also be used to improve visibility in thick smoke. When used in a high-rise building or in a building that is dangerous to people, such as a nuclear reactor or chemical plant, the drone is controlled by remote control from a safe distance.

The hose should be coupled centrally under the drone to a built-in coupling part 58, which can be pivoted through 90° or designed to be pivoted in any direction by means of a spherical coupling. Thus, depending on your needs, the connection for the fire hose can be positioned below or to the side of the drone.

The ability to swivel the propulsion nozzles in all directions enables the drone to fly stably during use. If, for example, the extinguishing agent nozzle is aimed briefly downwards and then upwards, then just as briefly downwards or then upwards, the compensating nozzle also aims in the opposite direction with the same jet inclination angle as the extinguishing agent nozzle. The propulsion nozzles must then also react simultaneously and automatically in order to keep the altitude stable, because if the extinguishing and compensation nozzles aim downwards at an angle, then the drone can receive an additional boost and fly upwards. A remote control that remotely controls the propulsion system can be built compactly and is also provided for the remote-controlled swiveling of the extinguishing agent nozzles, the thrust nozzles and the thrust nozzles of the stabilization system.

Although the drone may be constructed of a non-flammable material, the internal temperature inside the drone can rise significantly if left in the heat area or directly in the fire for a long period of time. That is why it is equipped with a cooling system that cools it effectively. This means she can fight the fire longer right next to the source of the fire or surrounded by flames. This feature also elevates it further from traditional drones because equipped with it, it can fight a dangerous fire for much longer. The cooling is achieved by the extinguishing agent / extinguishing water or by the water from the high-pressure line. This is done either by installing one or more pores 59 on the outer hull 60 of the drone, which always wet the hull, or with fine channels 61 inside, through which a small part of the water flows and thus lowers the outer hull temperature. A similar technique is used in rocket thrusters. Their casing also has fine channels through which the heavily cooled fuel (e.g. liquid hydrogen or alcohol) flows to the combustion chamber and in this way cools the walls.

It is clear that with this drone a lot of water (nevertheless no extinguishing water or extinguishing foam) is lost for the propulsion, but with explosive fire sites or radiation danger, such as at the Japanese nuclear power plant - in Fukushima, it was the case is immeasurable to protect the life of the emergency services. The reactor there had been out of control for months after an earthquake (and numerous aftershocks) combined with a devastating tsunami. After numerous explosions, large amounts of radioactive material were released. Many of the voluntary and also forced helpers were irradiated, who unfortunately later died as a result. There, among other things, as an emergency measure, the cooling of the exposed reactor vessels was initiated using water cannons, which sprayed water onto the reactor from a somewhat safer distance in order to reduce the radiation risk and the risk of explosion for the helpers. This invention is ideal for such cases. You can simply send the drone off from a safe distance, which pulls the water hose with it and hovers over ground obstacles to the target. Once the drone has reached the target, it can also anchor itself firmly to the environment with the help of retractable claws built into the outer wall and thus no longer waste water for the drive.

The drone can almost completely replace the water cannon. The advantages over water cannons in such operations would be the largely better targeting accuracy of the extinguishing agent jet by the drone, as well as the distance and height at which the drone can be used. In practice, the flight altitude of the drone depends on the pressure of the high-pressure pump on the ground and can fly several hundred meters high when the pressure increases. Bringing a water cannon to this level would require a very high technical level mean effort. While a water cannon at a height of 80 meters can only be installed after about 12 minutes and with a lot of effort, the drone only needs 30 seconds or less. With enough high pressure and thrust, it can reach an altitude of 100m within a few seconds, position itself there and start extinguishing work after just 10-20 seconds. In the case of burning high-rise buildings, the drone can bring the hose to the scene much faster and release the extinguishing agent jet or water jet from there from a shorter distance. However, it is clear that even the drone can quickly reach its limits. The hose gets heavier and heavier and at some point the drone can no longer pull it. The standard fire hoses, when they are filled with extinguishing water, become quite heavy. Several firefighters are often required to pull a hose to the fire site. The variant in the 10 has been shown has a laser guidance system that is designed similar to laser guidance weapon systems. In this case, a firefighter would have to mark the object to be extinguished with a laser beam (preferably modulated laser beam) from a laser diode in the form of a laser pointer 62, the drone would then fly close and on the spot or at least on the area the extinguishing nozzles 10 align and would emit a water jet or jet of extinguishing agent 25. This means that even inexperienced firefighters can easily steer the drone to the source of the fire - simply aim a laser pointer at the burning floor and the drone will fly there automatically. Of course, the drone has optical sensors that guide it to the target. Laser-guided missile systems work in a similar way in military systems. Of course, the laser pointer's laser beam should be encoded or modulated to prevent misuse by others who may have a conventional laser pointer with them. The modulation or coding can be easily and arbitrarily generated by microprocessors and implemented in the laser beam. Relatively simple sequences can also be built in for this purpose, which can be implemented with very simple electronic circuits, even without microprocessors - e.g. from pulse series, which consist of switching the laser beam on and off in microsecond cycles, which consist of three pulses of 1 microsecond each between them and a pause between them of 2 microseconds. Unfortunately, because objects reflect a laser beam back differently, the sensor in the drone cannot accurately determine the distance between the drone and the laser marker. Therefore, the drone is equipped with distance measuring sensors 63 that determine the distance between the marked point and the drone. A simple method of determining the distance would also be to use two lasers instead of one, each emitting a beam and projecting a point each. The laser beams must be parallel. For this reason, the laser emitters should be installed in a holder at a small distance (e.g. 10 cm distance). This method provides very accurate information about how far an object is. An optical system in the drone detects the two laser points and uses the values determined there or the distance between the two points to calculate the actual distance between the drone and the laser point. The closer you get to the two points, the greater the distance between these points appears to us. This is the simplest functionality and method to find out how far the object to be deleted is from the drone.

The laser marking method would be useful to quickly guide the drone to the target, but finer adjustments would be better with the remote control and video camera. In addition, the video camera can also capture IR rays and the smoke is therefore not too problematic.

Another version of the drone can independently locate a fire and extinguish the fire. Using a temperature measurement sensor system, the environment is scanned for temperature by a rapidly moving/rotating IR scanner 64 . The environment captured by the IR camera or video camera is sent to an evaluation unit for processing. The temperature ranges in the area are recorded there. The area with the highest temperature is classified as primary by software and the extinguishing agent nozzle is directed there. The high-pressure water jet impulses generated by the hydrogen explosion quickly cool the point of impact of the extinguishing jet, and with very little water or extinguishing agent.

The drone is able to independently identify the heat source using heat sensors, algorithmic calculations and microprocessor control, fly there independently and spray the source with extinguishing water. The drone can also do without a battery because it would be able to generate electricity itself from the flow pressure of the extinguishing water / extinguishing agent with the help of a mini-turbine generator. It can also be used for firefighting operations on the ground. She can pull the hose to the seat of the fire and only start extinguishing it there. The jets of extinguishing agent or jets of water, which are provided for extinguishing purposes, can be illuminated by laser diodes or LEDs 65 installed in the nozzles or directly there. The light would make the jets of extinguishing agent visible and would be helpful for extinguishing work in the dark. The same can also for that Propulsion system can be designed via propulsion nozzles. The drone can also be equipped with powerful lamps or light sources that illuminate the environment. However, in that case, the power line would be necessary, which runs together with the hose.

Apart from firefighting, the invention can also be made as a fun item such as an RC hover platform or some kind of flying machine such as for children.

In order to control the drone more easily, it can be equipped with a light control technique consisting of a light source (LED lamp, laser diode, etc.) on the ground, which a person holds in the hand and aims at the drone, some light sensors 66, which are built into the drone in the lower area and a controller 67, which uses the signals from the light sensors to calculate the flight direction and thus controls the drive ( 11 ). This drone is practically controlled by a light beam or laser beam. One first aims the light beam (or laser beam) from a laser pointer 62 at the drone, then slowly moves/pans the beam in the target direction and the drone follows the light cone to the target. In order to be able to control the light sensors correctly, they should each be provided with a light filter disk 68, whereby a laser beam with a correspondingly suitable wavelength can penetrate through it unhindered, while the filter forms a barrier for light with other wavelengths. This type of flight control can be learned very easily by anyone within minutes, making the use and operation of the drone child's play. The firefighting drones of the invention can be built to be voice controlled as well. You give her a voice command via the remote control and she executes it. Today, such voice controls are very reliable and commonplace in everyday life. Artificial intelligence can also be built in so that the drone acts largely autonomously. This could have access to the data from sensors, cameras and control technology that enable autonomous use.

Reference List

1.

drone

2

Separate high-pressure line

3

high pressure pump

4

fire hose

5

coupling

6

Water

7

lithium battery

8th

water jets

9

Propulsion nozzles (thrust nozzles)

10

extinguishing agent nozzle

11

Extinguishing water with additives or extinguishing foam

12

junction

13

connector

14

high pressure hose

15

fixation part

16

Pivoting tube

17

fire site

18

camera

19

IR / temperature sensors

20

gravity sensors

21

height sensors

22

rangefinder

23

Laser diode / laser pointer

24

laser beam

25

jet of extinguishing agent

26

electrovalve

27

Remote control / radio control

28

Recoil Compensation Jet

29

Reflector nozzles electrovalve

30

control, control unit

31

T-pipe

32

Vertical tube part

33

electrovalve

34

horizontal tube

35

Spherical housing of the drone

36

Rotatable, recessed beads

37

fluid chamber

38

distribution pipes

39

Nozzle Electrovalves

40

combustion chamber

41

pressure bottle

42

injector

43

oxyhydrogen or butane gas

44

high voltage electrodes

45

high voltage source

46

Stretch membrane

47

check valves

48

Reservoir / aluminum cylinder

49

energy source

50

remote control

51

Turret combustion chambers

52

Second combustion chamber

53

Nozzle Beads

54

ball socket

55

electromagnet

56

magnet

57

LEDs or laser diodes

58

clutch part

59

pores

60

outer shell

61

fine canals

62

laser pointer

63

distance measuring sensors

64

Rotating IR scanner

65

Fluid jets laser diode or LED

66

light sensors

67

Control for the light beam

68

light filter disc

69

Ball housing coupled with the drone's clutch,

70

Ball socket of swivel coupling

71

clutch ring

Claims (28)

Fire-fighting drone, which is an unmanned, autonomous or remotely controllable aircraft, which has - a fire hose connector by which it can be connected to a fire hose, the other end of the fire hose being connected to a pump system of a fire extinguishing device or fire truck on the can be connected to the ground, from which the extinguishing agent or extinguishing water is pumped with pressure in the fire hose, - one or more extinguishing agent nozzles that can deliver the extinguishing water to a fire source, - a flight propulsion system that consists of one or more thrust There is a nozzle, - a remote control system, which is coupled to the control of the drone and remotely controls the electrical and electromechanical elements installed there. characterized in that it has a power source (7) and the thrust nozzles (9) can be pivoted electrically and the flight propulsion system is connected to a separate high-pressure line (2) which is significantly narrower than the fire hose (4) which is coupled to or stuck directly into the wall of the fire hose, which supplies pure water (6) at a higher pressure than the pressure prevailing in the fire hose, which generates a sufficient recoil via the nozzles (9). to levitate or fly the drone (1) and with one or more electrovalves (26) or flow control flaps controlling the flow of water through the thrust nozzles (9) and a controller connected to the electrovalves is coupled, and with a flight stabilization system, consisting of at least one recoil nozzle (28), which is mounted opposite to the extinguishing agent nozzle (10) in the fire extinguishing drone and in the opposite direction a water jet from the high-pressure line ( 2) which is controlled by an electrovalve and which can be activated at the same time as the extinguishing agent nozzle (10) and which compensates for the recoil generated by the extinguishing agent nozzle. Firefighting drone after Claim 1 , characterized in that it is equipped with at least one camera (18) which, via a radio device, transmits the video signals directly to a device located on the ground, preferably a display or a device with a built-in display. Firefighting drone after Claim 1 or 2 , characterized in that the drone (1) is spherical or disk-shaped or cylindrical in shape. Fire-fighting drone according to one of the preceding patent claims, characterized in that it has its own power generation system, which partially converts the flow energy of the extinguishing agent (11) or extinguishing water into electricity, which is designed like a mini hydroelectric power station or a small electricity Has a generator and a mini-turbine in which the extinguishing agent releases its kinetic or pressure energy and converts it into electrical energy. Fire-fighting drone according to one of the preceding patent claims, characterized in that it is equipped with a target-seeking device consisting of a heat source detector (19) and a controller which controls the thrust nozzles (9) and/or the extinguishing agent nozzle (10) accordingly controls on the target or source of fire (17), is equipped. Firefighting drone after Claim 5 , characterized in that the heat source detector consists of at least one IR diode or IR photo sensor system which can detect the IR radiation of a heated object. Fire-fighting drone according to one of the preceding patent claims, characterized in that it is equipped with its own butane gas or hydrogen propulsion system which, by igniting portioned amounts of butane gas or hydrogen (43), water masses at high pressure from the drone (1st ) via the propulsion nozzles (9) or extinguishing agent nozzles (10) of the drone, consisting of at least - a butane gas or hydrogen tank which is directly coupled to the drone or a separate line that carries the butane gas (43 ) or directs the hydrogen from a storage tank on the ground into the drone, - a combustion chamber (40) in which portioned amounts of hydrogen or butane gas and fresh air are directed via an electrovalve (33) or built-in injectors (42) connected to the is connected to a separate high-pressure line (2) and can therefore be filled with water, - an ignition system, which consists of at least one high-voltage source (45) and two high-voltage electrodes (44) built into the combustion chamber, - a pressure chamber, which is connected to the combustion chamber ( 40) - a valve system that prevents the water from flowing back in the high-pressure line when pressure is generated in the combustion chamber, - a controller that controls the processes and the valves. Firefighting drone after Claim 7 , characterized in that - the combustion chamber (40) is divided into several chambers by a piston or an elastic, movable separating membrane (46), one of which continues to be used for the oxyhydrogen or butane gas combustion and the second with extinguishing water is filled with the fire hose (4) or with pure water from the high-pressure hose (2), - a non-return valve (47) which, when it is ignited, allows the extinguishing water in the fire hose or the pure water in the high-pressure hose to flow back into the combustion chamber hose prevented, is installed. Fire-fighting drone according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it is equipped with at least one turbine pump - which is electrically driven and connected to an energy source or electricity by a power line which is integrated in the fire hose or is inside supply on the ground is connected, - which generates a thrust for the flight propulsion and/or for the extinguishing jet, - which uses the extinguishing water from the fire hose or pure water from the high-pressure line as a recoil medium for the propulsion force. Fire-fighting drone according to one of the preceding patent claims, characterized in that it has at least one standard PC radio interface or a computer communication interface in the form of a connection. Fire-fighting drone according to one of the preceding patent claims, characterized in that it is equipped with a laser guidance system, designed similarly to laser guidance weapons systems. Fire-fighting drone according to one of the preceding patent claims, characterized in that it is equipped with a gravity sensor and/or temperature sensor or a temperature measuring device and/or a radiation measuring sensor or radiation value measuring device. Fire-fighting drone according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it is equipped with at least one powerful light or LED or laser diode capable of illuminating the surroundings. Fire-fighting drone according to one of the preceding patent claims, characterized in that the drone is equipped with IR laser diodes or UV laser diodes. Fire-fighting drone according to one of the preceding patent claims, characterized in that the drone is equipped with ultrasonic or laser distance measuring sensors. Fire-fighting drone according to one of the preceding patent claims, characterized in that it is equipped with a bidirectional hands-free system and/or a swiveling image camera/video camera, the functions of the image camera/video camera being remotely controllable. Fire-fighting drone according to one of the preceding patent claims, characterized in that it has its own cooling system, consisting of fine channels (61) integrated into the walls of the drone, in which the extinguishing agent flows, or consisting of fine nozzles which are attached to the Surface of the drone is equipped with extinguishing agent, preferably water and wet the drone surface. Fire-fighting drone according to one of the preceding patent claims, characterized in that the drone is remotely controlled using mobile radio technology and can be controlled using a mobile phone, preferably a smartphone or a laptop/touchscreen pad. Fire-fighting drone according to one of the preceding patent claims, characterized in that the drone is equipped with a drive control which is coupled to a built-in gyro or position sensor or GPS device or to a height measuring device/sensor, Fire-fighting drone according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the extinguishing agent nozzle of the drone is equipped with at least one light emitter, which illuminates the beam area of the extinguishing agent nozzle, or a light emitter, preferably a laser emitter in the form of a laser diode or a UV or IR -laser diode that emits a marker beam or a spot beam at the area where the jet of extinguishing agent is to hit. Fire-fighting drone according to one of the preceding patent claims, characterized in that it is equipped with a non-driven or actively driven undercarriage. Fire-fighting drone according to one of the preceding patent claims, characterized in that it is provided with many small pores (59) distributed over the surface, which release fire-fighting water or small amounts of water from the fire-fighting hose or high-pressure hose. Fire-fighting drone according to one of the preceding patent claims, characterized in that it is equipped with artificial intelligence controlling the flight controls. Fire extinguishing drone according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it is equipped with a light beam control system or light guide beam system which at least - one or more light sensors installed in the lower area of the extinguishing drone, - a highly concentrated light source, preferably a device with a laser diode, which emits a focused beam of light / laser beam, which a person operates from the ground or controls a machine whose beam hits the drone, - a control that is based on the light sensor data the flight direction and/or the flight altitude of the drone, with the drone following the light beam/laser beam from the light source or laser diode on the ground. Fire-fighting drone according to one of the preceding patent claims, characterized in that the separate high-pressure line is a hose which has the same length as the fire hose and at least at the beginning and at the end each has a fixing part which connects to the inner wall of the Fire hose allows, is equipped. Fire-fighting drone according to one of the preceding patent claims, characterized in that the fire hose is equipped with a branching connector at the end that is coupled to the fire engine, which can be connected to a fire hose connection of a fire engine or a hydrant, and at the side a Having an opening with a coupling in which the high-pressure line plugged into the fire hose opens from the inside and another high-pressure line from a high-pressure pump can be coupled there. Fire-fighting drone according to one of the preceding patent claims, characterized in that the high-pressure hose can be divided into specific lengths or standardized lengths, as in the case of fire hoses, by means of a connecting piece and can be connected together again. Fire-fighting drone according to one of the preceding patent claims, characterized in that the nozzles are installed in spherical, electrically rotatable elements.

Images