China has deployed its first remote-controlled robot for fire prevention, with the crawler-mounted machine tripling firebreak efficiency and eliminating the need for workers to operate near flames. That is according to Chen Yong, the director of the fire prevention division at Hubei Taizi Mountain forestry management bureau, who said the crawler is now trawling through Hubei’s forests.
Put into service last November in Jingshan city, the machine was developed specifically for forestry terrain and can navigate slopes of up to 60 degrees via its crawler-type transmission. Its wireless control range extends to 150 metres, and a single charge sustains eight hours of continuous operation.
The cutting apparatus — constructed from high-strength steel — fells trees measuring 15 to 20 centimetres in diameter and rapidly excavates raw soil, making it the primary tool for carving firebreaks and clearing access paths for ground crews. Previously, workers dug firebreaks by hand, a slow and dangerous process that exposed personnel directly to fire conditions.
“The robot operates continuously for eight hours and is remotely controlled by humans, greatly enhancing safety.”
Chen Yong, fire prevention division director, Hubei Taizi Mountain forestry management bureau
The Taizi Mountain area presents some of Hubei’s most complex firefighting terrain — extensive forest cover, difficult topography and limited access to remote zones have long hampered rapid emergency response. Two units are currently deployed, with further distribution to frontline teams planned as a province-wide training programme rolls out in collaboration with the manufacturer.
The machine’s utility extends beyond fire season. It supports land reclamation, undergrowth clearing, and routine forest tending — giving forestry crews a productive use case year-round, not just during peak fire risk.
The Jingshan deployment is part of a broader Hubei infrastructure push — and comes as Wood Central has reported on the growing use of artificial intelligence and sensor technology for wildfire prevention, with platforms now operating across North America and Australia combining satellite imagery, machine learning and ground-level surveillance to identify fire risk before ignition.
The Wuhan Donghu High-Tech Development Zone has installed 128 drone hangars at an average density of one unit per 2.5-kilometre radius, providing blanket aerial coverage with no blind spots, according to Hubei Television. A multi-layered monitoring system now combines satellite remote sensing, ground-level video surveillance and human patrol backup.
Tao Huan, drone project director at the zone’s urban operation and management centre, said the artificial intelligence algorithms underpinning the fire monitoring platform identify incidents with approximately 85 per cent accuracy. Manual verification by trained staff follows every AI-generated alert.
The initial rollout covers two units. Hubei recorded 47 forest fire incidents in 2024, according to provincial forestry authority data — a figure officials say underscores the urgency of scaling the programme beyond Jingshan.
