Photo 1: TAITRA chairman James Huang (right) with CT Engineering project manager Jade Wang (left). The goal: to bring MOTIONNEX® smart firefighting robots from Taiwan to the world.
CT Engineering, a leading maker of electric drive systems, announced that its domestically developed MOTIONNEX® smart connected firefighting robot (FRT series) has won the 2024 Taiwan Excellence Award. Built on the company's core power technology and feedback from users across many industries, the robot is highly expandable, precise and reliable, and tailored to Taiwan's conditions. In repeated field service it has delivered accurate scene intelligence to frontline commanders and helped firefighters bring fires under control quickly.
"We are honoured and proud that the MOTIONNEX® firefighting robot has been recognised with the Taiwan Excellence Award," said CT Engineering chairman Lin Hung-chieh. "What sets MOTIONNEX® apart is that everything — motors, body, control and IoT systems, back-end servers — is developed and made in Taiwan. Users never have to worry about waiting for parts, they receive software, firmware and hardware upgrades first, and we can customise robots for regional conditions and provide the fastest after-sales service."
According to Transparency Market Research, the firefighting robot market is expected to grow at a CAGR of 9.7% from 2023 to 2031, reaching USD 2.9 billion. Growth is driven by the rising frequency and severity of fires and by advances in AI, machine learning, sensors, thermal imaging and navigation that shorten response times and improve capability. Tracked robots are expected to gain the largest share thanks to their terrain adaptability, mobility and integration with existing firefighting infrastructure.
Taiwan experience meets global requirements
CT Engineering's development captured exactly these trends. The R&D team worked repeatedly with frontline firefighters and fire departments, collected fire-scene data across Taiwan and ran rigorous tests on varied terrain at its own proving ground. The robot's body, internals and remote-control system integrate stability, obstacle-crossing, hose-towing capability and ease of operation; the drivetrain, wheels and tracks were sized together with the centre of gravity so the robot can climb and cross obstacles safely while keeping operators away from the fire.
The result: a monitor output of 4,800 L/min with an 80 m effective range, 15 hours of stationary water discharge, a remote-control range of 300 m, 2 hours of continuous travel, 35° gradeability, 17 cm obstacle clearance and two hose lines each towing three charged hoses.
For remote monitoring the robot carries visible-light and infrared thermal cameras (−20 °C to 1,050 °C) and a 5-gas detector for CO, H₂S and VOCs. Gas and video data are transmitted over 4G to the command vehicle's controller screen for rapid decision-making, or uploaded to the cloud for multi-site remote viewing and recording.
MOTIONNEX® robots are in service in Kaohsiung City, Changhua County and Pingtung County, and one has been donated to the National Fire Agency's Zhushan Training Centre for hands-on training. Between 2021 and 2023 they took part in more than ten regional drills and exchanges with firefighters from Taiwan and abroad, successfully completing every firefighting and reconnaissance task required.
Over nearly six decades CT Engineering has become Taiwan's leading maker of drive systems for electric vehicles, producing more than 50,000 units a year. "We will keep advancing our core drive technology, combine it with Taiwan's manufacturing strength and ICT talent, and bring MOTIONNEX® smart firefighting robots from Taiwan to the world," chairman Lin emphasised.
Photo 2: The domestically built MOTIONNEX® smart connected firefighting robot, winner of the 2024 Taiwan Excellence Award.
About CT Engineering
Motionnex focuses on firefighting robots, mobile platforms, industrial robots and related smart applications, founded in 2025 and headquartered in Chiayi. Its parent company CT Engineering has supplied efficient, high-quality and reasonably priced power systems for 60 years — differentials, reducers, brakes and motors integrated into one-stop solutions for mobility aids, vehicles, agriculture, industrial logistics and fire safety — exported to 24 countries. More at https://motionnex.com.
