China has introduced a new high-rise firefighting drone, the EHang EH216F, which can reach altitudes of up to 600 metres—about 200 stories—enabling emergency crews to tackle fires in buildings far higher than conventional ladders or hoses allow. The EH216F drone is equipped with six fire retardant-loaded missiles and a fire extinguisher, according to EHang Holdings Limited, and has successfully completed rigorous official testing since its launch.
Advanced Technology For Urban Firefighting Challenges
EHang first launched the EH216F drone in July 2020 to address the unique dangers posed by fires in densely populated, high-rise urban environments. Traditional firefighting methods struggle to reach upper floors, particularly in rapidly urbanising cities like Shenzhen and Shanghai, where residential and office towers commonly exceed 30 stories. The EH216F responds to this challenge by operating autonomously at extreme heights, carrying up to 150 litres of firefighting foam and targeting hotspots with six precision-fired retardant bombs per flight.
Company statements confirm that in July 2021, China’s National Fire-Fighting Equipment Quality Supervision Testing Center completed 52 different test types on the drone, including performance under varying altitudes, as well as resistance to smoke and heat. Valius Venckunas, writing for AeroTime Aero, noted, “The EHang 216F is armed with six fire retardant-loaded missiles designed to be launched at fire hotspots as well as a fire extinguisher.”
Demonstrations And Implications For Fire Safety
Recent demonstrations have proven the system’s practical value. In July 2023, a widely shared video from Shaanxi province showed three drones dousing a multi-storey blaze by dispensing water via long hoses. In January 2026, a firefighting drone in Shenzhen delivered a 16-litre-per-second water stream from a height of 306 metres, reaching up to 36 metres horizontally, according to official Chinese media reports.
These advances highlight China’s drive to modernise emergency response capabilities in its urban centres. South African cities, facing their own growth in high-rise developments in metropolises like Cape Town and Johannesburg, may look to such technologies as examples of how to supplement conventional firefighting resources and respond to the increasing complexity of urban fire risks. The integration of autonomous aerial vehicles could transform response strategies, improve firefighter safety, and mitigate losses in future high-rise emergencies.
The next phase of adoption and deployment of these drones in other regions will be closely observed by city planners and emergency services globally.