"Rain and Sikorsky Evaluate Cutting-Edge Aerial Firefighting Solutions with Autonomous Black Hawk Helicopter"

Sikorsky, a Lockheed Martin company (NYSE: LMT), and Rain, a pioneer in the growing firetech sector, have conducted joint demonstrations of autonomous wildfire suppression methods. Using Sikorsky’s MATRIX optionally piloted flight autonomy system integrated with Rain’s wildfire response planning software, the team tested suppression techniques on both propane-fueled and live brush fires.

The trials took place in late April in Southern California and were designed to introduce firefighters to how autonomous technologies can assist both manned and unmanned helicopters in detecting and tackling early-stage wildfires.

“Sikorsky and Rain have combined two autonomous systems: our MATRIX platform, which manages the flight of any piloted or unpiloted aircraft, and Rain’s mission software, which detects and monitors fires, formulates a response plan, and guides the aircraft to deliver water precisely on target,” explained Rich Benton, Vice President and General Manager at Sikorsky.

“This integrated system allows incident commanders and pilots to customize the level of autonomy for their mission, progressively adopting advanced features that improve flight safety and firefighting effectiveness.”

In late April, Rain and Sikorsky conducted their first autonomous wildfire suppression tests over active fires in wildfire-prone areas of California. These trials took place at an elevation of 3,300 feet and under challenging conditions, including wind gusts reaching up to 30 knots (35 mph). The tests were carried out in partnership with the San Bernardino County Fire Protection District, whose firefighters built and ignited several brush piles for the aircraft to locate and extinguish using water drops.

The autonomous Black Hawk helicopter used in the tests featured fly-by-wire controls, the MATRIX autonomy system, satellite communication, and onboard thermal and visual cameras. The MATRIX system gives operators the flexibility to switch between fully autonomous and manual piloting modes.

For these tests, Rain integrated its mission autonomy software with MATRIX, allowing a ground-based operator to control the Black Hawk using a Rain tablet. The operator could assign specific tasks, such as navigating the aircraft to a water source, hovering to fill its bucket, detecting brush fires with thermal imaging, assessing fire size, planning the optimal flight path, speed, and altitude, factoring in wind conditions, and determining the exact timing for water release to ensure effective fire suppression.

During flight, onboard sensors identified the location of fires and transmitted real-time video to the ground operator’s tablet, enhancing situational awareness and supporting mission planning decisions.

Sikorsky safety pilots remained hands-off as the autonomous Black Hawk, equipped with a 324-gallon Bambi Bucket suspended from a 40-foot line, carried out water drops. Water was supplied by Wildfire Water Solutions from a 189,000-gallon tank positioned less than a mile from three nearby hilltop burn locations.

Thanks to the flexible, optionally piloted MATRIX system, the Sikorsky and Rain team demonstrated seamless transitions between autonomous flight and manual piloting, depending on environmental and operational needs.

Over the course of two weeks, the aircraft logged 24 flight hours in California. Observers included representatives from CAL FIRE, San Bernardino County Fire District, the Orange County Fire Authority (OCFA), and the U.S. Forest Service. In one demonstration, a piloted OCFA Sikorsky S-76 command helicopter flew in coordination with the autonomous Black Hawk, successfully showcasing communication and operational interoperability within the same fire airspace.

“The technology being demonstrated by Rain and Sikorsky represents a significant advancement in firefighting capabilities, particularly as California faces wildfires year-round,” said Chief Dan Munsey of the San Bernardino County Fire District. “Among all the tools available to contain wildfires, nothing is more effective than a swift initial attack.

Autonomous aircraft—whether piloted or not—offer greater flexibility and operational capacity to incident commanders on the ground, ultimately helping to protect lives and property in our communities.”

The Black Hawk helicopter used in these tests is comparable to the Firehawk™ helicopters currently in service with CAL FIRE, Los Angeles County, Orange County, and other local agencies. Across California, 24 Sikorsky S-70 Firehawks are in operation, each outfitted with a 1,000-gallon water tank mounted underneath. CAL FIRE is set to receive three additional Firehawks later this year.

“These flight tests focused on early-stage wildfire response were incredibly valuable for both Rain and Sikorsky as we continue to refine our integrated autonomous solution,” said Maxwell Brodie, CEO of Rain, based in Alameda, California.

“They also provided a meaningful opportunity for aerial firefighting teams to explore how autonomy can enhance pilot safety and precision during wildfire suppression. We’re grateful to California’s firefighters for their strong support in demonstrating how this technology can improve the effectiveness and efficiency of wildfire response.”

The demonstration was partially funded by a research and development grant from PG&E.