Why did we not think about this before? Instead of just spilling a whole bunch of water on a fire with no actual sense of direction or aiming capability, why not throw water balloons. They are more accurate, and best of all, they can be carried by any type of plane. The plane can be at any altitude since the balloons are capable of opening their parachute (a cardboard box lid) at any height. This means that for the first time, fire can be fought at night (by airplanes) and at a safe distance from the fire.
Boeing has been working on what they call a PCADS (Precision Container Aerial Delivery System) for year, but it’s just finally ready for deployment. They just had their test in Arizona where a C-17 dropped 40 PCADS all at once setting a record for 10,000 gallons of water. They plan to break that once more later this year.
Check out the video below and if you want to learn more check these sites out: Boeing, via BoeingDefense
