According to the National Interagency Fire Center, 2015 has been one of the most devastating calendar years for fires in the last decade, losing an estimated 9.3 million acres of land as of the middle of October. Such forest fires ravage not just flora and fauna, but also the tribal and human communities living in the burn radius. Thousands of people with their livelihood depending upon forests are put out of work. Lockheed Martin recently partnered with an aerospace manufacturer Kaman to collectively create autonomous helicopters that would tirelessly put out fires.

What originally started out as building vehicles for the military use in Afghanistan, Kaman’s K-MAX self-flying helicopter boasts the capacity to hold 6,000 pounds of cargo while flying near sea level, and roughly 4,000 pounds of cargo while operating at a 15,000-foot altitude. This helicopter is sturdy in the harshest climates, and is on service round-the-clock.

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“This technology will allow us to better support our firefighters on the ground, both with suppression and direct logistical support,” said the Department of Interior’s director of Aviation Services Mark Bathrick at a recent K-MAX field test in Idaho. “The integration of technology that could more than double the time we’re able to provide them with logistical and direct air support could be a game-changer in this mission area.”

Demonstration at Lucky Peak Helibase just outside Boise, Lockheed and Kaman displayed K-MAX’s skill as it was able to able to fill water from a far off source and accurately detect an invisible fire hazard on the ground. What’s more, it could do this time and time again without falling off the mark.

“We owe it to the firefighters on the ground to continually explore technologies that improve their safety and best support their efforts,” Bathrick continued. “We see it as a great example of prior tax payer investment that will pay dividends.”

Author:Technology Blog