Russia Tests Drone Designed to Fight Complex Industrial Fires
Russia has tested a new firefighting drone capable of extinguishing industrial fires within minutes. The system, called Gruzovik M-500, operates at heights of up to 100 meters and is designed to function even in dense urban environments.
The drone was engineered to tackle complex fires, including blazes involving tanks filled with flammable liquids. The technology was tested during firefighting exercises at the training and rescue center of the Ural Institute of the State Fire Service of the Russian Ministry of Emergency Situations. According to officials overseeing the drill, the unmanned system completed its mission successfully.
A “Fire Truck” in the Sky
After gaining altitude to 12 meters, the drone scanned the fire with a thermal camera. It then released extinguishing agent directly into the center of the simulated blaze. The entire operation took just 3.5 minutes. The full system – consisting of aerial and ground modules – can be deployed in five to ten minutes, a critical advantage when every minute counts during an emergency. The drone was also successfully tested at Loginovo airfield and on a high-rise building in the city of Yekaterinburg.
The Gruzovik M-500 drone equipped with a firefighting monitor was developed by the company Laboratoriya Budushchego (Laboratory of the Future). The unmanned aircraft serves primarily as a delivery platform. The actual extinguishing capability relies on a ground module – a compressed foam unit UKPM “NATISK-0,7-35” produced by the company Spetsavtotekhnika. Unlike the drone’s onboard tank, which has limited capacity, the foam system can continuously supply extinguishing agent through a hose line, allowing firefighters to suppress flames more efficiently.
Reducing Risk to Human Responders
Around 8,000 fires break out each year at industrial facilities across Russia. These incidents cause more than 12 billion rubles in damage (approximately $145 million). Most importantly, they cost human lives. Fires involving storage tanks filled with petroleum products are especially dangerous. When heated, the fuel can suddenly boil over, ejecting burning liquid and dramatically escalating the blaze. The Gruzovik M-500 is designed to keep firefighters at a safe distance while carrying out suppression operations automatically.
The drone can also reach fires in hard-to-access areas such as rooftops and upper floors. It is intended for deployment at hazardous industrial sites, including facilities storing petroleum products or locations affected by chemical contamination or radiation hazards.
To combat fires in extreme environments, Russia’s state technology corporation Rostec has also developed a firefighting robot. The machine resembles a heavy lifting platform. A water and foam nozzle mounted on the crane arm can reach a fire at distances of up to 60 meters. In addition to fire suppression, the robot is capable of clearing debris at accident sites.
Rescuers of the Future
Robotic technologies are expected to become valuable tools for emergency response teams. By deploying machines in dangerous environments, firefighters can reduce risks to human life while maintaining operational effectiveness during rescue missions.
The Gruzovik M-500 is designed to strengthen safety at hazardous industrial facilities. In the coming years, similar unmanned systems may become standard equipment for firefighting units responsible for responding to major industrial incidents. Experts also expect the emergence of hybrid safety systems that combine aerial drones, ground robots and artificial intelligence to automatically detect and suppress fires.
