Scottish fire service trials £150,000 remote-controlled firefighting robot

Scotland’s fire service is trialling a £150,000 remote-controlled robot that can direct powerful jets of water into dangerous fires, helping crews tackle large blazes while staying farther from heat and smoke. It has already been used at fires in Linlithgow, near Perth and in Glasgow, and could reduce risks to firefighters if the trial proves successful.

On caterpillar tracks, the robot can pump nearly 800 gallons of water a minute from up to 80 yards away, while an operator controls it from as far as 300 yards. Cameras and sensors send back video, thermal images and temperature data, and a safety system helps it avoid casualties. The machine is on loan to the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service for six months; the service says it is assessing its capabilities, limits and value, with likely uses at large industrial fires, hazardous materials incidents and wildfires rather than domestic fires.