Read more: 10 Terrifying War Drones That Give Us Chills According to the Forest Service wing of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, firefighting helicopters are allowed to fill their water tanks ...

Inside Tanker 47’s cargo bay sits a 3,000-gallon tank, roughly equivalent to six hot tubs. While it’s not a vast amount in absolute terms, a helicopter can drop the water precisely ...

As the helicopter burns fuel, it can hold more water, but the difference between an empty water tank and one filled to maximum weight, Prince said, is like going from the power of a Porsche to a ...

The helicopter's operational flexibility means it can fill its water tank in a diverse range of places, including an oval, road, or a general flat surface whereas a fixed-wing aircraft is limited ...