Operation Helo Partners With Robinson Helicopter for Disaster Relief

Organization unveils new platform that enables pilots to sign up for aid and search-and-rescue missions.

suzanneclavette

Wednesday, March 12, 2025 at 11:56 AM ET

Verified

Edited By:

Kimberly Johnson

During Verticon 2025, Operation Helo unveiled a new platform that it said would enable pilots to sign up for aid and search-and-rescue missions. [Credit: Suzanne Clavette]

Key Takeaways:

Humanitarian organization Operation Helo is partnering with Robinson Helicopter to enhance nationwide disaster relief efforts.
Operation Helo, which mobilizes volunteer pilots and smaller helicopters for aid, launched a new app to connect pilots with real-time disaster relief missions.
Robinson Helicopter will encourage new helicopter buyers to enroll in Operation Helo's platform and will co-develop a specialized training curriculum for disaster response pilots.

See a mistake? Contact us.

DALLAS —Humanitarian organization Operation Helo is partnering with Robinson Helicopter to enhance disaster relief efforts nationwide, it announced Tuesday at Verticon.

Founded in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene, Operation Helo emerged as a volunteer-driven initiative that mobilized helicopter owners and pilots to deliver lifesaving aid and conduct rescue missions in hard-hit communities across western North Carolina. Co-founders Matt McSwain and Eric Robinson built the organization on the belief that smaller helicopters, uniquely capable of reaching disaster-stricken areas, could be a critical tool in relief operations.