A robo-dog capable of throwing 30-ft flames from its back might seem the stuff of sci-fi nightmares, but such terrors were made real last year with the launch of the Thermonator from Ohio's Throwflame. Now the fire-breathing quadruped is available to buy for under $10k.
Though we've seen four-legged robot pooches helping out at work sites, show potential as mobility aids, getting athletic, towing aircraft, and even busting some serious Jagger moves, there have also been a number of frankly dangerous applications added to the use case mix. The Thermonator lands firmly in that latter camp.
At the time of the pre-order launch, Throwflame's mobile pyro machine appeared to be built on Unitree's Go1 platform but the production version bumps that up to the Go2. That means the robo-dog boasts 4D LiDAR sensing for mapping and obstacle avoidance, a 720p wide-angle front camera and front lamp, octa-core processing brains plus AI smarts, 4G/Wi-Fi6/Bluetooth connectivity, and up to 15,000mAh of battery power.
The "oldest flamethrower manufacturer in the US" has mounted its ARC model to the bot's back, which features plasma arc ignition of gasoline or gasoline/diesel fuel for laser-sighted delivery of a stream of fire to a range of up to 30 ft (10m). Remote operation via a mobile app keeps personnel out of harms way during the pitched wildfire control, farm management, "entertainment and SFX" applications – but enquiries from defense and government buyers are welcomed too.
As for the price tag, the Unitree Go2 on its own has a starting price of US$1,600 – though the Pro model comes in at $2,800 – and an ARC flamethrower starts at $699 (with accessories like rails and triggers costing extra). Tacking on laser sighting, a powerful top light and so on, and then wrapping all components up into one package translates into a cost of $9,420 per unit. The video below has more.
Product page: Thermonator
