Science & Tech · Science & Environment · 15 hrs ago
Fukuoka fire department develops robot for hazardous sites
A fire department in Fukuoka Prefecture developed a firefighting robot with Kyoto-based robotics firm Tmsuk.
The small, unmanned vehicle is designed for narrow roads and other hazardous sites that fire engines may not be able to reach.
An operator controls it remotely, using video from five cameras, and its water cannon can spray water up to 60 meters.
The project reflects challenges seen in past fires and disasters, including the 2024 Noto Peninsula Earthquake and a 2025 fire in Oita, where narrow roads and densely packed wooden homes made firefighting difficult.
Fukutsu’s coastal areas also have wooden homes along narrow roads, making the robot relevant to local fire risks.
Tmsuk aims to put the robot into practical use in two years and eventually hopes to use physical artificial intelligence to make firefighting more efficient.
The fire department serving Munakata and Fukutsu in Fukuoka Prefecture has developed a small, remotely operated firefighting robot with Kyoto-based Tmsuk Co.
The robot is designed for narrow roads that fire engines cannot reach and other hazardous sites.
It can spray water up to 60 meters and is controlled using a controller and images from five cameras.
The robot was unveiled at Fukutsu Fire Station on Oct. 23, 2026.
Tmsuk aims to put it into practical use within two years.
- Who
- The fire department serving Munakata and Fukutsu, with Kyoto-based robotics firm Tmsuk Co.
- What
- They developed a small unmanned firefighting robot for hazardous sites and narrow roads.
- When
- It was unveiled on Oct. 23, 2026.
- Where
- Fukutsu, Fukuoka Prefecture, Japan.
- Why
- To help fight fires in places fire engines cannot reach and at other hazardous sites.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
Firefighting in areas expected to be flooded during tsunami warnings posed a challenge during the Noto Peninsula Earthquake, according to Tmsuk.
A fire in Oita’s Saganoseki district spread amid densely packed wooden homes and narrow roads.
Tmsuk began developing the robot over a two-year period with advice from the local fire department.
The robot was unveiled at Fukutsu Fire Station.
- Maximum water-spraying distance
- 60 meters
- Robot dimensions
- 1.5 meters tall, 1.7 meters long and 1 meter wide
- Weight
- 430 kilograms
- Top speed
- 4.5 kilometers per hour
- Communication range
- 100 meters
- Development subsidy
- About 10 million yen (approximately $64,000)
What people are saying
We aim to put it into practical use in two years and eventually hope to utilize physical artificial intelligence to enable more efficient firefighting operations.