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What You Don’t Want To See This Summer: Flamethrowing Drones

Logan

TF-19 WASP

Drones with cameras? Ok. Drones with shotguns? Ahuh. Drones with Flamethrowers? Whaaattt??? Yes, drones can be equipped with flamethrowers as a company is now selling a flamethrowing attachment for drones. Whilst there are uses for flamethrowers on drones, according to Throwflame, the company that sells the TF-19 Wasp Flamethrower Drone, half of its customers will pick up the product for recreational purposes according to Gizmodo.

That’s what we are afraid of, flamethrowers for recreational purposes, especially in Summer when temperatures are unusually high that dried leaves can be easily kindled by careless campfire, a still light cigarette butt, etc. We do not know what recreational activities can be taken up with flamethrowers, but what according to late professional wrestler Bam Bam Bigelow, “If you play with fire, you're gonna get burned.”
With 1 gallon of fuel, the TF-19 Wasp is capable of igniting targets up to 25f feet away, with 100 seconds of trigger time before refueling (charging the drone’s batteries is another thing).

TF-19 WASP 02

There are useful purposes for the TF-19 Wasp in the hands of professionals. Flamethrowing drones can help clear power lines of debris, pest management, forest containment (back-burns/pre-burns), and agriculture burns. Pretty sure there are more uses, including military uses.

As the TF-19 Wasp is available for purchase by anyone, but it can be only attached to drones with a payload capacity of 2.2kg or more. This means the usual hobbyist drones are out of the question, but the more industrial drones such as the DJI S100.  Flamethrowing drones are not considered weapons, but users should follow FAA regulations and local ordinances.

It costs the US$1,499 to lay your hands on one of these, and there is a high demand that there is a lead time of 4 to 6 weeks on orders. Just hope those soon to be owners got careful hands.

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