In this Dec. 10, 2020, photo released by Blue Sky Rescue of Zhong County, a drone equipped with a flamethrower burns a wasp nest at a village in Zhong county near Chongqing municipality in southwestern China. A drone has been converted into the flying flamethrower in central China in a fiery campaign to eradicate more than 100 wasp nests. (Blue Sky Rescue of Zhong County via AP)
The Associated Press
BEIJING (AP) - A drone has been converted into a flying flamethrower in central China in a fiery campaign to eradicate more than 100 wasp nests.
Blue Sky Rescue, a volunteer group that conducts search and rescue and other emergency work, have teamed up with villagers in Zhong county near the city of Chongqing.
They raised 80,000 yuan ($12,200) to buy a drone and equip it with a gasoline tank and an arm-length nozzle.
Videos released by Blue Sky show a recent mission by the six-arm drone. It hovers above a hive as large as a suitcase before swooping down. The drone operator flips the ignition switch, and the drone spits bursts of fire onto the hive.
'œThe burning ashes of the wasp's nest gradually peeled off and fell, and the surrounding residents applauded and praised the rescue team,'ť said an article on a local news app run by state-owned Chongqing TV.
The article quotes a resident thanking Blue Sky for helping the village: 'œNow we don't have to worry about being stung by a wasp.'ť
Blue Sky said it has destroyed 11 hives so far. There are more than 100 to go.
In this Dec. 10, 2020, photo released by Blue Sky Rescue of Zhong County, a drone equipped with a flamethrower burns a wasp nest at a village in Zhong county near Chongqing municipality in southwestern China. A drone has been converted into the flying flamethrower in central China in a fiery campaign to eradicate more than 100 wasp nests. (Blue Sky Rescue of Zhong County via AP)
The Associated Press
In this Dec. 10, 2020, photo released by Blue Sky Rescue of Zhong County, workers prepare a drone equipped with a flamethrower at a village in Zhong county near Chongqing municipality in southwestern China. The drone has been converted into a flying flamethrower in central China in a fiery campaign to eradicate more than 100 wasp nests. (Blue Sky Rescue of Zhong County via AP)
The Associated Press