While it may sound like the plot of a Black Mirror show, Americans can now purchase a flamethrower-wielding robot dog online.
Ohio-based Throwflame opened sales for its ‘Thermonator’ Tuesday, selling its 37-pound quadruped machine for $9,420 that is legal in all US states except Maryland.
A demonstration video shows a Thermonator creeping and jumping through a forest before torching its surroundings with a 30-foot jet of fire spewing from a flame thrower on its back.
The company did not describe its as a new-aged weapon, but touts the flame throwing robot as being used in wildfire control, agricultural management, entertainment and ice removal.
While it may sound like the plot of a Black Mirror show, Americans can now purchase a flamethrower-wielding robot dog online
Ohio-based Throwflame opened sales for its ‘Thermonator’ Tuesday, selling its 37-pound quadruped machine for $9,420
Throwflame, based in Cleveland, claims to be the oldest flamethrower manufacturer in the US.
The company released the first-ever full-sized, commercially available flamethrower in 2015, which shoots flames up to 50 feet.
‘This unregulated flamethrower sparked a significant media response relating to legality,’ Throwflame shared on its website.
‘However, flamethrowers remain federally unregulated.
‘This means anyone can buy one without background checks or a waiting period.’
Thermonator appears to be designed like most quadruped robots but has one of Throwflame’s devices attached to its back.
The robot dog boasts a variety of cameras and sensors, allowing it to autonomously move throughout its surroundings and find targets to set ablaze.
The machine is remotely operated – the demonstration video shows a handler controlling it with a smartphone.
A demonstration video shows a Thermonator creeping and jumping through a forest before torching its surroundings with a 30-foot jet of fire spewing from a flame thrower on its back
The robot dog boasts a variety of cameras and sensors, allowing it to autonomously move throughout its surroundings and find targets to set ablaze
Social media users have weighed in on the machine, comparing it to an episode in the fourth season of Black Mirror titled ‘Metalhead.’
The episode explores what could happen if these machines turned on us, revealing the terrifying quest for survival in a world where robo-dogs can outrun and outsmart humans.
X user Rob Sheepe posted: ‘Some real-life Black Mirror ‘Metalhead’ terror right here. How is this legal?’
However, Maryland is the only US state that bans flamethrowers – California requires a permit to own one.
Possessing or using a flamethrower in Maryland is punishable by a $250,000 fine and up to 25 years imprisonment.
In 2015, Congress introduced a bill that would treat flamethrowers like machine guns, but was stalled and later dismissed.
This post first appeared on Dailymail.co.uk
