Sikorsky, a Lockheed Martin company, and California-based Rain, an autonomous aerial wildfire containment technology company, recently successfully demonstrated and tested autonomous wildfire suppression techniques.
The tests were conducted in California in collaboration with San Bernardino County Fire Protection District firefighters. The firefighters built and set fire to multiple brush piles for the aircraft to find and suppress with water.
“The technology that Rain and Sikorsky is demonstrating is a powerful part of the ecosystem of advancing fire service technology that is answering the year-round fire seasons we’re facing throughout California,” San Bernardino County Fire District Chief Dan Munsey said. “Of all the tools we have to keep wildfires small, none are more effective than rapid suppression on initial attack of a wildfire. Autonomous aircraft, both crewed and unscrewed, can increase flexibility and capacity for on-the-ground incident commanders, ultimately saving lives and property for the communities we serve.”
The technology used Sikorsky’s MATRIX flight autonomy system and Rain’s wildfire suppression planning software. Sikorsky’s autonomous Black Hawk helicopter is similar to Sikorsky’s S-70 Firehawk helicopters CAL FIRE, Los Angeles County, Orange County and other local governments fly. The MATRIX allows for fully autonomous and piloted modes. The Firehawk is equipped with a 1,000-gallon belly-mounted water tank.