China tackles Sichuan forest fire with support of domestically developed UAV

China has dispatched the Wing Loong-2 large unmanned aerial vehicle to support teams tackling a forest fire in Sichuan province.

The domestically developed large civil UAV was rushed to Sichuan to carry out support missions under the Ministry of Emergency Management, said Aviation Industry Corporation of China, the country’s leading aircraft manufacturer.

The Wing Loong-2 can play unique roles in emergency-rescue command and firefighting in a timely and effective manner, AVIC said.

The Ministry of Emergency Management on Monday sent the UAV to conduct aerial fire monitoring and telecommunications support in the battle against the raging forest fire in Yajiang county in Sichuan.

The fire broke out in mountainous areas with steep slopes and at high altitudes averaging 2,600 meters in elevation. Due to the terrain and thick smoke, it is extremely hard for rescuers to monitor and reach the fire, especially in the evening.

The Wing Loong-2 took off from an airport in the city of Zigong in Sichuan at 6 pm on Monday for the mission, and returned to the airport at noon on Tuesday after 18 consecutive hours of flying.

The UAV monitored three fire sites and provided telecommunications services covering around 1,200 square kilometers, according to AVIC, effectively ensuring communication between command headquarters and rescuers on site.

Real-time data and high-definition images provided by the UAV made it possible for commanders and firefighters to work in a more efficient and effective manner, enhancing their efforts to monitor and combat the fire.

The Wing Loong-2 was developed by the AVIC (Chengdu) Unmanned Aerial Vehicle System Co, an AVIC subsidiary in Chengdu, capital of Sichuan.

As a specialized emergencyrescue model, the Wing Loong-2 has long range, long endurance, a large payload capacity and strong environmental adaptability. It can fly in strong winds and conduct diversified missions.

It has already been dispatched by emergency-rescue authorities to assist earthquake, flood and typhoon rescue and relief efforts, AVIC said.