DARPA Seeks Small Businesses for Autonomous Wildfire Helicopters
March 23, 2026 · 2 min read
Claire Cummings
DARPA is funding development of autonomous helicopter systems for wildfire suppression through its ALIAS Missionized Autonomy for Emergency Services SBIR XL program. The initiative leverages the agency's proven Aircrew Labor In-Cockpit Automation System and Sikorsky's MATRIX autonomy platform to create optionally piloted helicopters capable of fighting wildfires, evacuating civilians, and delivering supplies without a human pilot on board.
Autonomous Helicopters for Wildfire Season
The program builds on DARPA's existing ALIAS technology, which has already demonstrated autonomous flight on Sikorsky S-76 and UH-60 Black Hawk helicopters. Under the ALIAS-Texas initiative — a partnership with Texas A&M — small businesses are developing third-party autonomy applications that plug into the MATRIX system to execute wildfire suppression tasks: water and retardant drops, cargo sling loads, medical evacuations, aerial reconnaissance, and crew shuttles.
Phase II awards fund 12-month base periods to develop functional prototypes integrated with the ALIAS/MATRIX autonomy stack, followed by an optional 12-month extension for multi-aircraft coordination. Capstone demonstrations include scenarios ranging from single-aircraft burn suppression to multi-helicopter coordinated wildfire response and rooftop personnel recovery.
Direct-to-Phase II — Proven Capability Required
This is a Direct-to-Phase II opportunity only — DARPA is not accepting Phase I proposals. Applicants must demonstrate existing technical maturity through preliminary results, prototypes, or documented prior autonomy work. The closing date remains TBD pending SBIR/STTR program reauthorization, making this a program to monitor closely rather than an immediate deadline.
Phase III pathways include both commercial wildfire and disaster response applications and military surveillance and reconnaissance — meaning successful small businesses could transition their technology into two distinct markets. Proposals are subject to ITAR export controls.
Small businesses with autonomous systems expertise should track this opportunity through DARPA's SBIR topics page or contact the BAA Help Desk at SBIR_BAA@darpa.mil. For ongoing SBIR coverage, visit the Granted blog.