Projects / Safety technology
firedrone handheld & repeater
Industrial design and prototypes for firefighters: a rugged handheld device with a thermal imaging camera and a stackable radio repeater for FireDrone – in just 6 weeks from concept to trade fair prototype at Interschutz 2026.
Client
FireDrone AG
Year
2026
Services
Industrial design · 3D CAD engineering · Prototyping · 3D visualisation
Challenge
FireDrone develops drones with thermal imaging cameras that fly into burning buildings and tunnels. For Interschutz 2026, the company needed two more devices: a handheld unit with a thermal imaging camera for emergency crews and a repeater that keeps the radio link alive. Time available: 6 weeks. The biggest hurdle: there was no time to develop custom electronics or a circuit board – yet the devices still had to be as compact and light as possible.
Solution
Handheld: a compact, light and ergonomic device that sits securely in the hand even when wearing firefighting gloves. Operation is deliberately reduced to the essentials – so even under stress, firefighters can send thermal images to the control centre with a single action. Repeater: a simple, rugged device that acts as a relay station and forwards data as soon as the handheld loses its direct connection. Several repeaters can be stacked for charging and transport.
Result
Two working prototypes in 6 weeks, shown at Interschutz 2026 where they attracted attention – plus photorealistic 3D visualisations for presentations and marketing.
Industrial design under time pressure
Six weeks from the first sketch to a working prototype: to make it happen, we closely interlinked concept, product design and 3D CAD engineering. Because no custom electronics could be developed, we designed the housings around existing components – making use of every millimetre for a compact, lightweight device.
Designed for emergencies
Firefighters work in thick gloves, under time pressure and in poor visibility. That’s why the design relies on large, easy-to-feel controls, a grippy shape and a signal colour that stands out even in smoke. The repeaters are stackable, so they can be charged together and taken to the scene in one go.
Prototypes that feel like series products – without injection moulds
We printed the black housings on our SLA 3D printer, the Nexa3D XiP, in xABS, an ABS-like material. The purple grip and protection zones were then cast over them in silicone – the overmoulding principle that will later be used in series production too. For the buttons, we printed negative moulds and cast the buttons in silicone as well. The result: prototypes that feel like finished products.
Visualisation for the trade fair
Photorealistic 3D visualisations were created in parallel with the prototypes. This allowed FireDrone to show the devices in presentations and on social media before Interschutz. The action scenes in the gallery are AI-generated and labelled as such.
More: Product development, 3D rendering and Quick Design for startups.
Images
Testimonials
“Efficient, pragmatic and friendly – exactly what you need in a development project!”
Fabian Wiesemüller — Founder, FireDrone AG
Read all reviews on Google ↗Reviews translated from German.