--- title: "Great, They’re Putting Flamethrowers on Robot Dogs Now" description: "A company called Throwflame is selling a robot dog that has a flamethrower strapped to its back that can shoot 30-foot streams of fire." date: "2023-06-22" modified: "2023-06-22" authors: - name: "Maggie Harrison Dupré" job_title: "Senior Staff Writer" link: "https://futurism.com/authors/mharrison" url: "https://futurism.com/the-byte/flamethrower-robot-dog" categories: - "Robot Dogs" - "Robotics" - "Robots and Machines" tags: - "autonomous weapons" - "robodog" - "robot dog" - "the digest" --- # Great, They’re Putting Flamethrowers on Robot Dogs Now ![A company called Throwflame is selling a robot dog that has a flamethrower strapped to its back that can shoot 30-foot streams of fire.]() *\Image: Throwflame\* ## Smokey Bear's Worst Nightmare A company called Throwflame is [selling a robot dog]() that has a flamethrower strapped to its back, which can shoot terrifying, [30-foot streams of fire](). It's called the "Thermonator" — and it looks like a disaster waiting to happen if it were to fall into the wrong hands. "Thermonator is the first-ever flamethrower-wielding robot dog," reads the company's [product description](), adding that it can "deliver on-demand fire anywhere!" Although, we're pretty sure that Smokey Bear might have a bone to pick with that last bit. To be fair, the folks at Throwflame aren't explicitly marketing the robot as a weapon. And judging by the company's "[Clout]()" page on its website, a lot of its various flamethrowing tools have already been used in movies and TV shows for cinematic special effects. Still, just because something isn't *marketed* as a destructive weapon doesn't mean it can't be used as one, whether intentionally or by accident. https://twitter.com/throwflame/status/1664702073877811200 ## Spawn of the Chaos Bots The flamethrower, as [*Gizmodo* notes](), appears to be attached to a [Unitree Go1]() robodog, a quadruped that has some autonomous capability. There's a reason why Throwflame didn't opt for the bigger and possibly more capable Spot robot, built by Boston Dynamics. While most robodogs rightfully illicit surveillance concerns, Boston Dynamics [strictly prohibits]() the overt weaponization of their robots. Besides, at about $70,00o a pop, Spots are extremely expensive. The Go1, on the other hand, goes for a comparatively measly $2,700 to $3,500, and an ARC Flamethrower will cost anywhere between $699 and $899 extra. While it's unclear what the Thermonator's sticker price will ultimately be, the company has opened a waitlist and says it'll start shipping them in Q3 of this year. But if you're thinking about getting one, maybe don't. We've got enough [uncontrolled wildfires raging]() across the continent as it is. **More on robodogs:** [*Oh Great, They Put ChatGPT into a Boston Dynamics Robot Dog*]() ## Author At Futurism, I've reported extensively on the rise of AI as a cultural and business force shaping the media industry, and more broadly how those dynamics are changing how we all consume and share information and relate to one another. I'm also fascinated by public health policy and ethics, the role of emerging tech in politics and governance — and the powerful people and forces at those intersections — climate change, and the environment. My investigation on Sports Illustrated's use of AI-generated authors with fictional biographies won a 2024 Mirror Award for "Best Story on Media Coverage of Artificial Intelligence in Journalism and the Media" from Syracuse University's SI Newhouse School, I contributed to Niemen Lab's 2025 Predictions for Journalism series, and I've discussed my work for Futurism during appearances on NPR, CNN, the BBC, the CBC, and more. I grew up in rural Pennsylvania and attended the University of Massachusetts Amherst, where I played Division I field hockey for the Minutewomen as a midfielder. Since then, I've lived in New Orleans, Louisiana and Manhattan, New York. I spend my free time running, reading, perusing archival fashion, and searching for the world’s best negroni. I also have a debonair tuxedo cat, Westley, who's named after "The Princess Bride." ### Author social links [Bluesky]()