The fire in Notre Dame de Paris leads to a great loss to the whole world. During the firefighting process, DJI, the Chinese drone's manufacturer, provided a lot of help.
DJI's drones. Photo: Credit to DJi.
The fire in Notre Dame de Paris leads to a great loss to the whole world. During the firefighting process, DJI, the Chinese drone's manufacturer, provided a lot of help. The Paris fireman used DJI drones to monitor the real-time situation of the Cathedral and select the best location to settle firefighting broader via the air patrol of drones. According to French media, the Mavic PRO and Matrice M 210 drones joined this firefighting for Notre Dame de Paris to help the fireman better understand the fire’s data and latest situation.
Gabriel Plus, the spokesman of Paris fire brigade, when interviewed by the local media, said that DJI’s drones played an active role in the firefighting process, and they helped the fireman to correctly use the firefighting tools. Romeo Durscher, the public safety director of DJI, the fireman could make use of the visible-light camera and the electronic zoom lens to track the dynamics of fire. When interviewed by The Verge, Durscher said that during this firefighting process, they didn’t use thermal imaging instrument, though it may make things easier. Generally, drones are not allowed to fly in the urban area of Paris, but the Paris government canceled that limitation to help with the firefighting.
The best way to monitor the fire situation is by using the helicopter. However, a helicopter cannot approach the roof closely. For one thing, it is too dangerous for the helicopter and fireman; for another, with the approaching of a helicopter, a strong wind would be generated, which may strengthen the fire. In addition, using the helicopter would be quite expensive. After discussion, the Paris firefighting department agreed to use drones to help with the monitoring of the fire, which would be cheaper, faster, and closer to the Notre Dame de Paris.
Founded in 2006, DJI is a leading drones manufacturer and developer. DJI’s customers from more than 100 countries and its valuation were more than USD 15 billion. The DJI’s drones have 2 production lines: consumer-side and business-side. The professional business-side drones can be applied to many scenarios including agriculture, energy, public safety, architecture, and infrastructure. According to Frost & Sullivan, a market research institution, DJI occupies 72% of the global market share of the commercially used drones, while the U.S. is the largest market in the world.
Putting out a fire requires a balance of heroism to save a burning structure and caution to prevent flames from spreading. DJI’s technology brings rapid imaging tools that provide critical information to best attack the fire while maintaining firefighter safety. With the DJI’s drones, the fire on Notre Dame de Paris could be put out faster. According to Antonio Tajani, the president of the EU Parliament, the new technology that the fireman used during the firefighting process could be used for reference for other countries.