Unlike traditional aerial water delivery, where aircraft must fly low and directly over the fire, the PGSU can be released from 12,000 feet above ground level. After deployment, the unit uses GPS guidance and onboard flight controls to steer toward a predetermined target. Its aerodynamic control surfaces allow it to adjust its flight path in response to changing wind and weather conditions, increasing accuracy and safety.
“This technology offers a unique opportunity to deliver rapid initial attack from new heights. Traditional aerial suppression tools are sometimes limited by the need to fly low and slow over the fire, which restricts when and where they can be used safely. The PGSU allows us to suppress new and emerging wildfires in situations and environments that have previously been out of reach,” said Anthony Somogyi, Aviation Projects Manager for the CoE.
Each PGSU weighs about 1,000 pounds and carries 110 gallons of water. Rather than relying on a single unit, the operational concept involves an aircraft deploying multiple PGSUs over an emerging fire. This coordinated approach enables a concentrated and more effective suppression effort, with several units working together to target different parts of the fire simultaneously.
“It is basically a giant trash can with fins and a brain, and it flies down contained in that trash can all the way to the ground, and then right at the last moment, it explodes and puts the water on the ground,” said Ben Miller, the Director of the Center of Excellence for Advanced Technology Aerial Firefighting.
Poetry, when it occurs spontaneously in the wild, is always a special joy.