09 May Firefighting Robot Dog With Water Cannon Joins Rescue Operations
Unitree’s beefed-up B2 quadruped has just been sworn in as the newest member of China’s urban fire-rescue corps, complete with a high-flow water cannon, reinforced joints and hot-swappable batteries. The promotion catapults the industrial-grade “robodog” from inspection duties to frontline firefighting, promising 60-metre jets, stair-climbing agility and remote tele-operation that keeps human crews out of harm’s way.
1 | Why the B2 Got the Call-Up
80 kg of Muscle, 40 kg of Payload
The base B2 is already one of the fastest, strongest quadrupeds on the market, sprinting at 6 m/s and hauling 40 kg for up to five hours on a charge. A new “Fire-Rescue” package elevates those specs with 170 % stronger joint torque and a dust- and heat-shielded drivetrain designed for smoky interiors.
Silent Scout, First-In Recon
Lidar pods, 360-degree thermal cameras and gas sensors feed a real-time video link so commanders can map flames and toxic hotspots before sending people inside.
2 | Hardware Upgrades That Matter
| Module | Function | Key Spec |
|---|---|---|
| Water-/Foam Cannon | Direct attack on flames | 60 m range, 40 L s⁻¹ flow, 5°–85° pitch |
| Air-Blower Nozzle | Forest-fire line cutting | 50 m s⁻¹ airflow (manufacturer figure) |
| Li-ion “Quick-Swap” Pack | Continuous ops | IP67, swap in < 60 s |
| Self-Drench Cooling | Electronics protection | Auto water mist when temps > 90 °C |
The B2 can also uncouple its hose automatically, freeing it to switch tasks or retreat once the main fire is suppressed.
3 | Mobility in the Line of Fire
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Stair prowess: 45-degree climbs and 40-cm steps without loss of balance.
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Terrain agility: Able to right itself after falls and sprint across rubble at 15 km h⁻¹ in “W-wheel” configuration, where snap-on wheels boost ground speed.
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Operating range: Remote control beyond 1 km via encrypted 5 G link or fully autonomous path-planning indoors.
4 | How It Compares to Other Firefighting Bots
| Robot | Type | Hose Range | Payload | Notable Edge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unitree B2 Fire | Quadruped | 60 m | 40 kg | High speed & modular back-mounts |
| Boston Dynamics Spot + Thermal Rider | Quadruped | n/a (no cannon) | 14 kg | Mature autonomy stack |
| Thermite RS3 (Howe & Howe) | Tracked | 115 m | 227 kg | Massive flow but limited indoors |
5 | Early Deployments & Training
Two B2 units are already embedded with Qingdao’s Firefighting & Rescue Support Team, logging drills that include elevator rides to basement blazes and post-fire hot-spot patrols. Unitree says broader roll-outs will target petro-chemical plants, tunnel projects and high-rise complexes over the next 18 months.
6 | Limitations & Next Steps
Despite ruggedisation, battery runtime drops sharply in high-heat environments—an issue the company aims to offset with tethered power lines for stationary hose duty. Certification for human-occupied spaces is still pending local safety regulators. A future B3 model is rumoured to adopt hydrogen fuel-cell packs and a 90-L s⁻¹ cannon for industrial oil-tank fires.
Key Takeaway
By grafting a powerful, swivelling cannon and battlefield-grade sensors onto its fastest industrial quadruped, Unitree has transformed the B2 from inspection rover to a front-line firefighting ally—capable of dashing through smoke, knocking down flames and letting human teams follow in far safer conditions.
Written and curated by Ozzie Small
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