Description
Objective: This topic focuses on development and demonstration of missionized autonomy for emergency services, initially focusing on autonomous wildfire response using autonomous Manned-Unmanned Teaming (MUM-T) and integrated sensing technologies. These capabilities will leverage the DARPA Aircrew Labor In-Cockpit Automation System (ALIAS) air vehicle autonomy program, using Sikorsky’s MATRIX autonomy system on S-76 and UH-60 helicopters combined with third-party autonomy applications to execute emergency services and wildland firefighting tasks. A key focus will be on the development of autonomy applications that enhance the capabilities of these systems. Description: This SBIR XL topic seeks proposals for developing novel autonomy applications that enhance the capabilities of the UH-60 as an autonomous aerial platform for emergency services, with a specific initial focus in wildfire suppression. These applications will be developed utilizing DARPA ALIAS and the Sikorsky MATRIX Government Purpose Rights Software Development Kit to plug into the ALIAS autonomy stack to provide real-time decision-making, integrated sensing for situational awareness, and advanced communication technologies for coordination with ground and air units. The ALIAS-Texas initiative will assess the ability of autonomous/semi-autonomous aircraft to support wildland firefighting operations through simulated and live test environments, covering tasks such as water or retardant drops, cargo sling loads, medical evacuations, reconnaissance, and crew shuttles. A significant component of this project will be the development and integration of autonomy applications that enable these aircraft to perform complex tasks with minimal human intervention. The increasing frequency and intensity of wildfires necessitate advanced technologies for rapid response and suppression. Autonomous systems can significantly reduce response times and enhance the effectiveness of firefighting efforts. The ALIAS-Texas initiative aims to develop and integrate a suite of third-party autonomy applications that work with the MATRIX system to deliver enhanced optionally piloted vehicle (OPV) capabilities optimized for sustained concurrent/collaborative multi-vehicle wildland firefighting operations, with additional capabilities pertaining to emergency services. The focus on autonomy app development will enable these systems to perform complex tasks with minimal human intervention, improving their effectiveness and reliability in critical missions. This initiative will leverage the existing network between the ALIAS air vehicle autonomy program, and Sikorsky’s MATRIX autonomy system, combined with newly developed third-party autonomy applications to execute emergency services and wildland firefighting tasks, including the following: Cargo sling loads Water or retardant drops using buckets or a fixed tank Medical evacuations Reconnaissance Crew shuttles Autonomy applications will be developed and tested using the Advanced Framework for Simulation, Integration, and Modeling (AFSIM) environment. The simulation will represent terrain, wind, vegetation, and fire dynamics and will support real-time interaction and observation through conformant sensor interfaces. Initial capabilities of autonomous aircraft will be demonstrated in a controlled environment. The initial focus will be on developing and testing autonomy applications that enable the aircraft to perform tasks such as search, localization, tracking, suppression, and assessment autonomously. Later phases of app development will expand the simulation environment to include real-world data. Field tests will be conducted with autonomous aircraft, demonstrating real-time decision-making and coordination with other emergency services. The system will be integrated with ground control, test operations, and data acquisition environments to support concurrent control of multiple ALIAS-enabled aircraft for one or multiple operations. The development of autonomy applications will continue, with a focus on enhancing the aircraft's ability to perform complex tasks autonomously and collaboratively. Field data will be used to validate and verify autonomy app development. Keywords: Autonomous, Wildfire, AI, Integrated Sensing, Emergency Services, ALIAS, MATRIX, Simulation, Firefighting, Autonomy Applications