Sikorsky, Rain Demonstrate Autonomous Wildfire-Fighting Black Hawk Helicopter

Sikorsky and Rain demonstrated the use of an autonomous Black Hawk helicopter to combat wildfires on October 29, the companies announced today.

The 30-minute Rapid Wildfire Response Demonstration, held at Sikorsky's headquarters in Stratford, showcased the integration of Sikorsky's MATRIX flight autonomy and Rain’s wildfire mission software to suppress a small fire.

The demonstration involved the use of a tablet to command the Black Hawk helicopter to take off, locate a fire, and accurately drop water using a Bambi Bucket to extinguish flames. Each of the three water drops quelled a 12-inch diameter propane-fueled fire ring, demonstrating the precision of the technology. The helicopter's flight path adjusted in real-time to account for crosswinds during the operation.

Maxwell Brodie, CEO of Rain, emphasized the growing risks of wildfires, which cost the U.S. over $390 billion annually, and noted how autonomous aircraft could help prevent or manage fires under challenging conditions. "Autonomous aircraft can stop fires from breaking out or continue the fight in conditions where crewed aircraft can't operate," he said.

This demonstration follows a series of autonomous helicopter tests, including a $6 million DARPA award in October 2024 to integrate the MATRIX flight system into the U.S. Army's UH-60M Black Hawk helicopter for testing new autonomy capabilities. Sikorsky’s innovations aim to reduce pilot workload, improve safety, and increase mission flexibility for both military and civilian applications, such as wildfire suppression.