Drones that put out fires: how far the technology has really come
In the middle of the Andalusian wildfire season it is worth looking at a technology already in service in Asia: drones that do not just observe but extinguish. An outlook with an honest assessment.
Andalusia is in the middle of its high-risk wildfire season, which runs every year from 1 June to 15 October. The regional government has equipped the 2026 INFOCA plan with 4,700 personnel, 43 aircraft and a record budget of 257 million euros. Drones play a growing part in it, but in a clearly defined role: they are the eyes of the incident command. In the European research project Hurricane, INFOCA is currently testing protocols that let aerial and ground drones deliver situational imagery to commanders without anyone entering the danger zone.
In Asia the development is one step further along. A generation of aircraft is now flying that does not just observe but actively intervenes in the fire. A look at three systems shows what is technically possible today and where the limits lie.
From observing to intervening
The best-known example is the EH216-F by the Chinese manufacturer EHang, a converted autonomous passenger multicopter. Instead of passengers it carries, according to the manufacturer, up to 150 litres of firefighting foam and six so-called extinguishing capsules. On site, a zoom camera identifies the seat of the fire; the aircraft then uses laser aiming to fire a projectile that breaks the window pane and delivers the capsules directly into the burning room. Flight altitude reaches up to 600 metres, the operating radius from an urban station is around five kilometres, and several aircraft can fight the same fire simultaneously.
That the concept works in formation was shown by a widely reported demonstration in the megacity of Chongqing. The local fire service, together with the manufacturer Guofei Aviation, set the façade of a ten-storey building alight under controlled conditions, using five tonnes of wood plus several hundred kilograms of heating oil and petrol. Six heavy-lift extinguishing drones brought the roughly 500 square metres of burning façade under control with water and foam in under 15 minutes.
Heavy lifters with extinguishing capsules
Alongside converted air taxis, a distinct class of heavy-lift platforms is emerging that is designed for firefighting from the outset. The Chinese manufacturer ZJIEC, for example, promotes its YSF-150 with up to 150 kilograms of payload and around 63 minutes of flight time. The aircraft carries four extinguishing capsules of 25 kilograms each, filled with ABC dry powder or a water-based agent, and operates according to the manufacturer at altitudes of up to 500 metres. Each capsule covers a stated effective radius of at least five metres and an area of around 50 square metres; safety mechanisms such as a minimum arming height of 50 metres are intended to protect ground personnel.
| System | Approach | Extinguishing agent | Notable feature |
|---|---|---|---|
| EHang EH216-F | Converted autonomous passenger multicopter | Up to 150 litres of foam plus six extinguishing capsules | Window-breaking projectile and laser aiming, flight altitude up to 600 metres, operating radius around five kilometres |
| Guofei Aviation | Heavy-lift octocopters flying in formation | Water and firefighting foam | Six aircraft extinguished 500 square metres of burning façade in under 15 minutes during a demonstration |
| ZJIEC YSF-150 | Heavy-lift platform with up to 150 kg payload | Four capsules of 25 kg each, ABC powder or water-based | Around 63 minutes of flight time, effective area of around 50 square metres per capsule, minimum arming height of 50 metres |
Why high-rises come first
There is a simple reason why this technology is being tested on high-rise buildings first: turntable ladders and water jets usually reach less than 50 metres and mostly only one side of a building. Lifts are off limits in a fire, and by the time crews have climbed the stairwell to the right floor, valuable minutes have passed. An extinguishing drone flies straight to the affected storey in that time. Even where it cannot put the fire out completely, it can slow the spread until the crews on the ground take over.
The honest assessment
As impressive as the demonstrations are, the physical limits are just as clear. One extinguishing capsule acts on around 50 square metres, while a single fire engine delivers thousands of litres of water per minute for hours. Extinguishing drones are therefore no replacement for the fire service but tools for the initial attack: for incipient fires, hotspots, hard-to-reach locations and for bridging the response time.
Then there is regulation. Firefighting by state authorities is partly exempt from EU drone law and regulated nationally; private operators in Europe, by contrast, face strict authorisation requirements as soon as aircraft of this weight class fly or loads are dropped. The fact that the technology is already in the field in China therefore does not mean it will fly over Spanish rooftops tomorrow.
The drone that already saves lives today is not the one with the extinguishing capsule but the one with the thermal camera: it shows the crews where the fire really is before anyone enters the building.
What this means for the Costa del Sol
For our region the development matters for two reasons. First, it shows where things are heading: authorities such as INFOCA are already integrating drones systematically into incident command, and extinguishing platforms are the logical next step. Second, it makes clear where the benefit already lies today. Thermal reconnaissance detects hotspots and temperature trends, documents fire damage for insurers and gives crews a situational picture without putting anyone at risk.
That is exactly where we at FANTM Drone Services see our role: in aerial reconnaissance, thermography and documentation. The extinguishing work itself remains the task of the fire service. We are watching the new generation of aircraft closely, and as soon as it is certified and field-ready in Europe we will return to it here in the knowledge section.
System details according to manufacturer information from EHang, Guofei Aviation and ZJIEC and media reports; INFOCA figures according to the Junta de Andalucía, as at August 2026.
Asked often
No. Our role in fire events is reconnaissance: thermal imaging, night vision, hotspot detection and documentation for crews, owners and insurers. The firefighting itself remains the task of the fire service.
No. One extinguishing capsule acts on around 50 square metres, while a fire engine delivers thousands of litres per minute. Extinguishing drones are tools for the initial attack and for hard-to-reach locations, not a replacement for crews on the ground.
There is no fixed date. Firefighting by state authorities is regulated nationally, and private operations in this weight class require extensive authorisations. Realistically, pilot projects by fire services and authorities will come first, as INFOCA is already running with reconnaissance drones.