Created for our high school engineering fair in collaboration with the Gwinnett Fire Department, the project focused on designing and building HOTARU, a hexacopter drone for hazmat response. The goal was to enhance safety and efficiency during hazardous material emergencies.

Discussions with the Gwinnett Fire Department revealed delays in assessing hazardous environments with traditional tools, increasing risks to first responders.

Our team built a functioning drone equipped with sensors to remotely assess hazardous conditions. The design emphasized rapid deployment, modular adaptability, and reliable data collection to support emergency response.

The working prototype was successfully presented at the engineering fair, showcasing its potential to improve hazmat response and ensure first responder safety.