China tackles Sichuan forest fire with support of homegrown large UAV

BEIJING, March 20 (Xinhua) -- China has dispatched the Wing Loong-2 large unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) to support teams tackling a forest fire in southwest China's Sichuan Province.

The Chinese independently-developed Wing Loong-2 large civil UAV swiftly rushed to Sichuan to carry out the support mission under the dispatch of the Ministry of Emergency Management, said the Aviation Industry Corporation of China (AVIC), the country's leading aircraft manufacturer.

The rescue-specialized Wing Loong-2 manifests unique roles of the large UAV in sustaining emergency-rescue command and fire fighting actions in a timely and effective manner, said the AVIC.

The Ministry of Emergency Management on Monday sent the Wing Loong-2 UAV to conduct aerial fire monitoring and telecommunications support missions, to contribute to the battle against the raging forest fire in Yajiang County in Sichuan.

The forest fire broke out in mountainous areas with steep slopes and at high-altitudes, averaging 2,600 meters in elevation. It is extremely hard for rescuers to monitor and reach the fire sites, especially in the evening and also due to dense smoke.

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

The large UAV carried out comprehensive monitoring of three fire sites. It also provided telecommunications support by continuously serving as an aerial telecommunications base and providing services to an area of around 1,200 square kilometers, according to the AVIC.

Smooth and stable telecommunications are crucial for effective rescue work. The Wing Loong-2 effectively ensured telecommunications involving rescue command headquarters and rescuers at fire sites.

Flying in complex mountainous conditions, low visibility at night and in heavy smoke, the Wing Loong-2 UAV carried out all-round aerial monitoring of fire sites via its onboard payloads such as optical equipment and synthetic aperture radar, according to the developer.

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

Notably, real-time information sent by the UAV is crucial for rescue commanders in making decisions such as timely dispatching and evacuation of firefighters.

The Wing Loong-2 is a member of the Wing Loong large civil UAV family, which has been developed by AVIC (Chengdu) Unmanned Aerial Vehicle System Co., Ltd. (AVIC UAS), an AVIC subsidiary in southwest China's Chengdu.

As an emergency-rescue specialized model, Wing Loong-2 features long range, long endurance, large payload capacity and strong environmental adaptability. It can fly in strong winds and conduct diversified missions such as monitoring disaster conditions and supporting telecommunications.

A piece of modern aeronautical equipment, the Wing Loong-2 has already carried out multiple rescue missions after being dispatched by emergency-rescue authorities to assist earthquake, flood and typhoon rescue and relief efforts. It is standing by to help safeguard people's lives and property, said the AVIC.