Jakarta, domclub Indonesia
—
A major fire hit the Terra Drone Building in Cempaka Baru, Kemayoran, Central Jakarta on Tuesday (9/12) afternoon.The fire is believed to have been caused by an exploded lithium-ion drone battery.
As a result of this incident, 22 people were reported to have died, consisting of seven men and 15 women.All of the victims’ bodies were immediately taken to the Kramat Jati Police Hospital for the identification process.
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“From the information above, it’s only temporary because the battery, yes, the battery from the drone caught fire. However, the reason it caught fire is that currently the laboratory team is still working,” said Central Jakarta Metro Police Chief Commissioner Pol Sustayo Purnomo Condro in Jakarta, Tuesday (9/12).
Terra Drone is a drone and Urban Air Mobility (UAM) technology company.They provide drone survey and inspection solutions for the oil and gas, chemical, and construction industries.
Terra Drone Indonesia provides services for using drones for agriculture which are used for spraying and mapping land for various agricultural sectors, including forestry and plantations.
On its website, Terra Drone explains that there are two types of batteries used for agricultural drones, namely Lithium Polymer (LiPo) and Lithium-ion (Li-ion).
LiPo batteries are the most common type of battery used in spraying drones.This battery is said to be light, powerful, and capable of producing a powerful burst of energy to carry heavy loads.
That’s why EFT drones often rely on these batteries.
However, LiPo batteries are known to be very sensitive.These batteries can expand, lose stability, and even explode if handled improperly.
Meanwhile, Li-ion batteries are designed for stability and longer service life.Although heavier, the chemistry of these batteries makes them safer and less prone to swelling.
DJI agricultural drones often use Li-ion batteries to balance safety with consistent performance.The compromise is lower output power compared to LiPo, so these batteries are better suited for mapping or monitoring rather than heavy spraying.
Causes of battery explosion
Although the initial suspicion was that the fire was caused by a drone battery explosion, police admitted that they still needed to investigate further the cause of the fire.However, according to the official Terra Drone page, there are several things that might trigger the lithium battery on the drone to explode.
First
, overcharging causes overheating.
Second
, overheating during flight can damage battery cells.
Third
, physical damage such as a fall or puncture may cause an internal short circuit.
Fourth
, poor storage can weaken battery stability if the battery is left in extreme temperatures or stored fully charged for too long.
When these conditions occur together, battery cells can enter thermal runaway, a rapid chain reaction that ends in a fire or explosion.
To prevent fire and explosion incidents from occurring, there are several mitigation steps that can be taken:
1. Always use the charger recommended by the manufacturer.
2. Never leave a charging battery unattended.
3. Allow the battery to cool before recharging after the flight.
4. Check for swelling, leaks or dents before each use.
5. Store in a fireproof container at room temperature, and leave the battery half-charged if it will not be used for several weeks.
6. Use batteries interchangeably throughout the fleet to ensure even wear.
Drone batteries have a high risk of fire and explosion if maintenance is neglected.Explosions can occur due to overcharging, overheating, and damage which can actually be prevented with proper management.
(lom/dmi)
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