ALEXANDRIA, Va., June 16 -- United States Patent no. 12,304,629, issued on May 20, was assigned to KAWAK AVIATION TECHNOLOGIES INC. (Bend, Ore.).
"Aerial fire-fighting bucket systems" was invented by Andrew Sawyer (Bend, Ore.), Steve Sawyer (Bend, Ore.), Jeremy Bryant (La Pine, Ore.) and Scott Siemsen (La Pine, Ore.).
According to the abstract* released by the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office: "Aerial fire-fighting bucket systems are disclosed for liquid cargo pickup, transport, and discharge. Bucket systems include rigging to be attached to the long line of an aircraft, the bucket having a pliable skin having an upper edge and a lower edge, an upper frame from which the upper edge of the skin is suspended, and a lower structure to which th...