DARPA and Texas Commit $59.8M to AI-Powered Wildfire Response
March 21, 2026 · 2 min read
Jared Klein
DARPA and the Texas A&M University System have committed $59.8 million to develop autonomous helicopter systems capable of fighting wildfires without human pilots on board. The initiative, built on DARPA's Aircrew Labor In-Cockpit Automation System (ALIAS) program, represents one of the largest federal investments in AI-driven emergency services technology.
The Texas Legislature allocated the $59.8 million in its 2026–2027 budget to support Texas A&M's George H.W. Bush Combat Development Complex (BCDC), which will serve as the primary testbed for the autonomous firefighting systems.
How the Technology Works
The program leverages Sikorsky's MATRIX autonomy system, installed on S-76 and UH-60 helicopters, combined with third-party autonomy applications to execute wildland firefighting missions. The aircraft can operate in manned-unmanned teaming (MUM-T) configurations, meaning human-piloted and autonomous helicopters coordinate together in active fire zones.
DARPA's SBIR opportunity (HR0011SB20254XL-01) specifically seeks small businesses to develop "autonomy plugins" — software applications that plug into the MATRIX platform to handle tasks like fire perimeter mapping, drop-zone optimization, and real-time coordination between aircraft.
Why Small Businesses Should Pay Attention
Phase II of the SBIR requires proposers to demonstrate their autonomy applications through operationally realistic wildfire scenarios in both simulation and live flight tests using S-76 and UH-60 optionally piloted helicopters. This is not a paper study — DARPA wants working prototypes that can be validated in the field.
The program sits at the intersection of defense autonomy and civilian disaster response, a dual-use space that is attracting increasing federal investment. Companies with expertise in computer vision, sensor fusion, path planning, or multi-agent coordination should evaluate the opportunity closely.
Next Steps for Applicants
Small businesses interested in the ALIAS emergency services SBIR should review the full solicitation and FAQ on DARPA's website. Past SBIR awardees note that early engagement with the program manager significantly improves proposal competitiveness.
In-depth analysis of DARPA SBIR trends and proposal strategies is available on the Granted blog.