Recent advancements of electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL)
aircraft have generated significant interest within and beyond the
traditional aviation industry, and many novel applications have been
identified and are in development. One promising application for these
innovative systems is in firefighting, with eVTOL aircraft complementing
current firefighting capabilities to help save lives and reduce fire-induced
damages. With increased global occurrences and scales of wildfires—not to
mention the issues firefighters face during urban and rural firefighting
operations daily—eVTOL technology could offer timely, on-demand, and
potentially cost-effective aerial mobility capabilities to counter these
challenges. Early detection and suppression of wildfires could prevent many
fires from becoming large-scale disasters. eVTOL aircraft may not have the
capacity of larger aerial assets for firefighting, but targeted suppression,
potentially in swarm operations, could be valuable.
Most importantly, on-demand aerial extraction of firefighters can be a
crucial benefit during wildfire control operations. Aerial firefighter
dispatch from local fire stations or vertiports can result in more effective
operations, and targeted aerial fire suppression and civilian extraction
from high-rise buildings could enhance capabilities significantly.
There are some challenges that need to be addressed before the identified
capabilities and benefits are realized at scale, including the development
of firefighting-specific eVTOL vehicles; sense and avoid capabilities in
complex, smoke-inhibited environments; autonomous and remote operating
capabilities; charging system compatibility and availability; operator and
controller training; dynamic airspace management; and vehicle/fleet
logistics and support. Acceptance from both the first-responder community
and the general public is also critical for the successful implementation of
these new capabilities.