Unmanned Systems Technology 026 I Tecdron TC800-FF I Propellers I USVs I AUVSI 2019 part 1 I Robby Moto UAVE I Singular Aircraft FlyOx I Teledyne SeaRaptor I Simulation & Testing I Ocean Business 2019 report

24 Dossier | Tecdron TC800-FF way of using its robot for tasks such as direct firefighting, transporting response equipment, evacuating casualties, smoke extraction and gathering information using suites of sensors including cameras. In each case, the company offers the same basic platform, onto which different mission equipment and accessories can be integrated. Effectors and sensors The main effector dedicated to fighting fires is a modified Apollo PE monitor – a steerable nozzle – from Akron Brass. It is mounted on an adapter plate that is secured to the main aluminium payload deck using quick-release pins that can be inserted and removed without tools, and which are secured to the plate using wire tethers to prevent them from getting lost. The monitor is fed by a hose attached to a fire engine or other water source and passes through a guide bracket on the rear of the payload deck that keeps it safely behind the vehicle. Mounted on an electrically powered turret, the monitor can be remotely aimed in both azimuth and elevation, and is fitted with a remotely operated valve to start and stop the flow of water. Mounted above and behind the monitor on its own pedestal is a dual camera system from Exavision in a rugged dual axis pan and tilt head. The system is from Exavision’s Omnicam range, and can be equipped with a 640 x 512 element uncooled thermal imager with either a lens of fixed focal length or one with an optical zoom, and either a colour CCD camera with a 36x zoom or a full HD CMOS camera with a 20x zoom. Uncooled thermal cameras have become essential in firefighting operations because they can penetrate smoke to reveal the seats of fires and measure temperatures accurately to show up areas approaching ignition temperature. These can then be targeted with hoses to slow or halt the spread of a fire. Alternatively, a high-flow ventilator fan system, such as the Easy 2000 from Leader, can be installed for removing smoke and cooling large enclosed spaces such as car parks, warehouses, factory production lines and exhibition halls. On the TC800-FF, the fan’s standard mounting skid is fixed to an adapter plate that is attached to the payload deck (instead of the monitor) using the quick-release pins. Each payload is fixed to the payload deck via its own custom-built adapter plate, June/July 2019 | Unmanned Systems Technology The Apollo PE monitor from Akron Brass is the primary firefighting tool and is fed by a hose attached to a fire engine or other water source (Courtesy of Akron Brass) With the nozzle closed down to create a jet of water, the Apollo PE provides greater range (Courtesy of Tecdron)