PurposeParticular attention is given to the viscous damping force parameter, stiffness parameter, rigidity parameter, and Brinkman number and plotted their graph for thermal distribution, momentum profile and concentration profile.Design/methodology/approachIn the field of engineering, biologically inspired propulsion systems are getting the utmost importance. Keeping in view their developmental progress, the present study was made. The theoretical analysis explores the effect of heat and mass transfer on non-Newtonian Sisko fluid with slip effects and transverse magnetic field in symmetric compliant channel. Using low Reynolds number, so that the authors neglect inertial forces and for keeping the pressure constant during the flow, channel height is used largely as compared to the ratio of wavelength. The governing equations of fluid flow problem are solved using the perturbation analysis.FindingsResults are considered for thickening, thinning and viscous nature of fluid models. It is found that the velocity distribution profile is boosted for increasing values of the Sisko fluid parameter and porous effect, while thermal profile is reducing for Brinkman number (viscous dissipation effects) for all cases. Moreover, shear-thicken and shear-thinning behavior of non-Newtonian Sisko fluid is also explained through the graphs.Originality/valueHear-thicken and shear-thinning behavior of non-Newtonian Sisko fluid is also explained through the graphs.