UAE company creates firefighting robot to tackle dangerous blazes

The device weighs one tonne and is fitted with sprinklers to keep cool

Firefighting robot made in UAE to battle dangerous flames. Credit: FFBOTS

A Dubai-based company has unveiled a mobile robot that could act as the first responder to fires.

The locally made device called Wabel – which means heavy rain – can be sent into dangerous areas that firefighters find difficult to reach.

The robot, whose water flow of 8,000 litres a minute has a range of 100 metres and a height of 50 metres, can start operations before firefighters arrive at the scene of a blaze.

At 220cm long, 150cm wide and a height of 135cm, Wabel looks like a mini tank and comes equipped with cameras and sensors to provide real-time information about the blaze and help firefighters formulate a safer and more effective plan to handle the emergency.

It is not known if the robot will be used by Dubai civil defence or emergency services in the emirate.

A team from FFBOTS, the Emirati firm based in Jebel Ali Industrial area, created the machine in the hope it could be a useful addition to firefighting departments across the UAE and the wider region.

“The robot is not a replacement for firefighters but it provides support for them and preserves lives and property, especially when fires involve high-risk situations such as proximity to oil and gas reservoirs and highly flammable materials that cannot be approached,” said Mohammed Islam, a robotics expert and chief executive of FFBOTS, in a press release.

The robot helps civil defence workers access the heart of the blaze, especially in dangerous situations. These include potential explosions at ammunition depots, toxic chemical fires, nuclear reactor fires, high-temperature oilfield fires and collapsed buildings.

The robot is controlled wirelessly from a distance of up to 1km. It is equipped with four hose inlets and GPS.

Six smart cameras cover every direction to help firefighters make decisions remotely without approaching the flames.

Front-end water sprinklers can cool the front of the robot, while vertical spouts create a fountain to cool it from above. It can also use foam as well as water.

Despite its weight of about a tonne, the robot can climb a gradient of 30 degrees.

Wabel has an inbound audio channel to enable the controller to hear the sounds around the robot.

Powerful headlights enable control officers to see clearly through heavy smoke and its audible siren helps guide others towards it.

“We intend to go global, taking into account the directives of our UAE government that calls for leveraging AI to a maximum to enhance the quality of life and preserve the lives and property through instant response to firefighting operations,” added Mr Islam.