Tablet-controlled robotic Black Hawk helicopters fight fire in thrilling tests

A test showed an autonomous Black Hawk helicopter taking off, locating small fires, and precisely dropping water to suppress flames, showcasing advanced firefighting capabilities.

Sikorsky, a Lockheed Martin company, and Rain, a leader in autonomous aerial wildfire containment technology, successfully completed the experiment.

According to the firms, the Rapid Wildfire Response Demonstration at Sikorsky headquarters in Stratford, demonstrated how Sikorsky's MATRIX flying autonomy and Rain's wildfire mission autonomy system might effectively combine to put out a fire in its early stages.

"Government agencies, aerial firefighting operators, and investors are coming together to learn and see how both flight and mission autonomy can help prevent high intensity million-acre wildfires," said Maxwell Brodie, CEO of Rain, in a statement.

In October, US Army's Black Hawks helicopters completed trips without pilots with Sirosky's next-gen robotic brain.

Precision aerial firefighting Wildfires cost the United States more than $390 billion each year, with risk factors expected to increase by up to 30 percent by 2030.

Developers aim to show lawmakers how autonomous aircraft can prevent fires from spreading and continue firefighting efforts after dark and in challenging, smoky conditions where crewed aircraft cannot operate.

Using a tablet, visitors controlled the Black Hawk aircraft to take off, search for and locate the fire, and then drop water from a Bambi bucket suspended 60 feet below the plane during the 30-minute flight demonstration.

The accuracy of the rain fire recognition and targeting capability was demonstrated when three consecutive water drops put out a 12-inch circular propane-fueled fire ring that was emitting a flame that was three to six inches tall.

Additionally, the Rain system quickly modified the flight path to accommodate a crosswind of 8 to 10 knots (9.2 to 11.5 miles per hour) during each water drop.

In the Black Hawk cockpit, Sikorsky safety pilots kept an eye on the flying controls but remained passive until the plane touched down.

"With Rain's wildfire mission software loaded onto the aircraft and a tablet, wildland firefighters in the field could deploy autonomous Black Hawk or Firehawk helicopters to search and attack wildfires before they spread out of control," said Igor Cherepinsky, director of Sikorsky Innovations' rapid development/prototyping group, in a statement .

Modernizing army aviation Sikorsky has also partnered with the US Army to advance autonomous helicopter capabilities through DARPA's ALIAS/MATRIX program.

Recently awarded $6 million from DARPA, Sikorsky will integrate its MATRIX flight autonomy system into an experimental fly-by-wire UH-60M Black Hawk, designated MX. The upgraded helicopter will allow army's Combat Capabilities Development Command (DEVCOM) to assess autonomy features, from single-pilot operation to fully autonomous flights.

The MATRIX system aims to enhance pilot safety, reduce workload, and enable complex mission flexibility in contested environments.

The Black Hawk, expected to serve the Army into the 2070s, is being modernized to ensure long-term relevance, incorporating autonomous features that support unmanned or optionally piloted missions. Evaluation will include testing sensor suites to identify and navigate around threats, terrain, and obstacles.

In 2024, Sikorsky and DARPA demonstrated that the Optionally Piloted Black Hawk could be operated by high-level commands via a tablet from within the cabin or the ground.

According to Sirosky, building on successful cargo missions from Project Convergence 2022, these developments align with Lockheed Martin's vision for 21st century security, preparing the Black Hawk for new threats.