(MENAFN- Khaleej Times)

When a fire breaks out in an industrial complex or rips through the aluminium cladding of a high-rise, firefighters face an impossible choice - approach and risk their lives. That, said Eng Ali Al Madfaei, is the kind of moment he imagines for Suhail, Abu Dhabi Civil Defence's experimental jet-powered firefighting drone.

“In complex industrial fires, where it's extremely risky for firefighters to be on-site because the situation can change rapidly, using autonomous systems allows us to tackle the fire more efficiently and effectively - all without putting human lives in danger,” he said.

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Another scenario, he added, is tackling the façade fires that once haunted Gulf skylines.“Buildings with aluminium cladding on the outside... if that catches fire, it's a very challenging situation (to put out the flames),” he said.“Having technologies like this can suppress the fire from the exterior of high-rise buildings.”

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Breaking new ground in aerial firefighting

A functional prototype is targeted for the fourth quarter of 2026. Suhail - still a digital model for now - is part of a Civil Defence project to imagine what the next generation of firefighting could look like. Designed entirely in Abu Dhabi, it exists in computer simulations and CFD modelling, where its equations have already been tested and verified.“All the science and the math have been completed,” Al Madfaei said.“All we need now is to offload our data to our manufacturer to help us bring our vision to life.”

Unlike propeller-based drones, Suhail uses eight miniature jet engines for thrust and stability - a design choice that, according to Al Madfaei, breaks new ground in aerial firefighting.“We thought to use jet engines to counteract the force, to be able to withstand ten bars of pressure with a water output of 1,400 litres per minute,” he explained.“The drone has a tethered-base design where it is connected to a fire truck to supply it with continuous water flow.”

The craft's ceramic-coated carbon-fibre shell and silica-infused canopy are simulated to survive temperatures of up to 1,200 °C, with 3D LiDAR sensors to steer through smoke-filled gaps. A 100-litre kerosene tank would give it about 40 minutes of flight time and an operational ceiling of 90 metres, though testing suggests 60 metres is optimal.

Why is it called Suhail?

Despite its technical ambition, the story behind Suhail's name began with something far more personal - and poetic.“Suhail is a star that holds special meaning for people in the UAE and across the Arab world. Seeing it in the desert night sky marks the end of the heat and summer, and the beginning of hope,” Al Madfaei explained.

He also designed its sky-blue colour scheme himself, drawing on his childhood fascination with Japanese manga and anime robots, a nod to where the drone was first revealed.“My upbringing was inspired by manga and anime and the big fighting robots,” he said.“It was only fitting and poetic that it was unveiled in Japan for the first time.”

Though still virtual, Suhail's design includes a custom flight controller linked directly to Civil Defence systems and an emergency parachute for safe landings. Future versions could even deploy in swarms, communicating and coordinating through shared telemetry.

Currently, Abu Dhabi's drones are limited to reconnaissance, providing“situational awareness” to teams on the ground. But Suhail, if realised, would mark a step change - from watching fires to fighting them.

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