Operational Concept for the Use of Medium Size Unmanned Autonomous Helicopters in Wildfire-Fighting

A novel concept of operations for the deployment of multiple medium-sized unmanned helicopters in wildfire suppression missions is proposed. By integrating unmanned aerial systems (UAS) into existing firefighting strategies, the concept enhances operational safety and efficiency, particularly in high-risk zones where crewed aircraft cannot operate safely. Coordinated swarm-based tactics for aerial water deployment are introduced, which are enabled by a decentralized control architecture tailored for dynamic wildfire scenarios. Key innovations include a custom communication and guidance framework allowing for real-time coordination without centralized infrastructure, as well as robust inner-loop and swarm controllers designed for autonomous operation. A purpose-built UAS platform is presented, featuring a wildfire-fighting-optimized sensor setup and hardware configuration. Finally, the paper addresses system-level reliability through an analysis of failure modes and mitigation strategies across both development and operational phases.