USDA Adds Firefighting Drones with "Dragon Eggs" to its Wildfire Arsenal

Drone Amplified’s strategy to combatting wildfires is not unique, but its methodology definitely offers a new approach.
Containing fires by setting others, called backburns, to consume the deadwood and other materials that help fuel larger fires is nothing new. However, the use of unmanned drones to drop what the company is calling "Dragon Eggs" could prove to be safer and more effective.
The Dragon Eggs contain potassium permanganate, which is simultaneously extremely flammable when exposed to an ignition source but also proven safe to handle and transport by a drone. The system, called IGNIS, provides 400 Dragon Eggs per drone. When commanded, the remotely-controlled IGNIS drone punctures and injects the Eggs with glycol. This starts a chemical reaction that results in the Egg igniting 30 to 60 seconds later, at a rate of up to 120 Eggs per minute.
Onboard sensing and embedded AI helps ensure accurate deployment of the firebombs without putting firefighters in even more danger.
IGNIS has been used extensively on many of the wildfires in California, Colorado, and Oregon this year. And, according to a report from Digital Trends, the Department of Agriculture estimates that the system is more cost-effective than using a manned helicopter to perform the same job - saving upwards of $14,000 per day.
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[@TheUnkBoogie]

Safe and effective...where have I heard that before?!

[@HarrisonHollers]

Condoms?

[@davros0007]

Yeah… no, potassium permanganate isn’t flammable. It’s an oxidising agent that makes other things burn. By itself it’s just some purple crystals. You mix it with glycerin to give it a fuel to burn- the glycerin catches fire.

[@user-tx2xr6ic9q]

0:05 I wondering what brand drone you use..

[@aleksanderkuncwicz7277]

Cool but could sombody super size the drones helecopter size and drop a big bucket of water on the fire pilotless so thiers more room with water.

[@anettetorres3716]

The point of the dragon eggs is to prevent wildfires in the first place, it's being proactive. Look up cultural burning it's been done for hundreds of years by native americans

[@NightwatchN8]

Brilliant! And I'm sure they're blame it on "Climate change"

[@aleksanderkuncwicz7277]

I think this is kind of bad it should be big enough to drop actual water.

[@JohnDoe-gp9kw]

Saving 14k per day... okay.... but how much do we give Ukraine so far? And now rebuilt Ukraine hahahaha what a joke

[@ivankoval3540]

Are you crazy?

[@JohnDoe-gp9kw]

@@ivankoval3540 Ivankaaaa whats up? Ready to pay student loans back?

[@ivankoval3540]

​@@JohnDoe-gp9kw I'd better go into your children's room and see what you're up to

[@JohnDoe-gp9kw]

@@ivankoval3540 i don't have any children Americans killed my whole family with a drone attack they called it collateral damage...... war criminals