Worland Innovator Aims to Modernize Aerial Firefighting with Wyoming-Built Helibucket

As wildfire seasons grow longer and more intense across the country, innovative solutions for battling blazes from the air are becoming increasingly essential, Northern Wyoming News reports.

In Wyoming, where the state spent a record $55 million on firefighting efforts last year, one small company is offering a new approach to aerial firefighting—built not in a lab, but in a local shop in Worland.

Wyoming Bucket LLC, founded by longtime fabricator and former farmer Ed Keller, has developed a next-generation firefighting helibucket designed to be more efficient, reliable, and easier to maintain than many of its long-standing counterparts.

After more than two years of development, Keller unveiled the first commercially available model of his custom-designed bucket—a striking blue device that attaches to helicopters to deliver targeted water drops during firefighting missions.

Helibuckets, sometimes referred to by brand names like “Bambi Buckets,” have been a staple in aerial firefighting since the 1980s. These collapsible containers can be filled from lakes, rivers, or portable tanks and are suspended from helicopters to drop water with precision over active fires. While the core concept has remained largely unchanged for decades, Keller saw room for improvement based on his own field experience.

“When you’re putting out fires, the biggest thing is getting water to your fire,” Keller explained. “Fixed-wing aircraft can carry a lot of water, but they only get one drop before refilling. Helicopters and buckets are more versatile—they can quickly access water sources and deliver targeted support.”

Keller’s Wyoming Bucket offers a number of innovations aimed at addressing common limitations in existing designs. His model features a 660-gallon capacity and can be filled in just 36 seconds—even from shallow water as little as six inches deep. A specially designed actuator operates a heavy-duty ball valve to control water release, allowing pilots to make precise drops in as little as three seconds.

Keller’s journey to founding Wyoming Bucket reflects decades of hands-on experience in agriculture, fabrication, and aviation support. After years working in farming and machine fabrication, Keller began assisting helicopter maintenance efforts at Sky Aviation. There, he observed firsthand the shortcomings of existing helibucket systems and began developing his own design.

“I’ve always been a tinkerer,” he said. “Living on a farm, I learned to fix things myself. When I saw the issues pilots had with their buckets, I kept thinking, ‘How would I do this differently?'”

With support from investors and help from local businesses, including machine shops in Worland and suppliers across the US, Keller officially launched Wyoming Bucket LLC in October 2023. The company now operates out of a shop on Culbertson Avenue, where Keller builds and assembles much of the equipment by hand.

Keller emphasized that while his bucket doesn’t reinvent the helibucket concept, it offers practical upgrades pilots and firefighting crews will appreciate. The modular design makes it easy to repair in the field, allowing for quick part replacements with basic tools. A power pack runs the bucket’s operations independently, reducing reliance on helicopter systems and simplifying setup.

The system also incorporates features for improved performance and safety, including an aerodynamic nose cone for smoother flight and a fixed light to improve visibility during operations.

Keller’s goal is not just to compete with major manufacturers, but to offer a tool that’s reliable and built with real-world firefighting in mind.

“You’ve got a collage of people down there fighting fires that need that helicopter to be flying,” he said. “If I can make it easier and safer for the pilots and firefighters, that’s my goal.”

In March, Keller introduced his bucket at Verticon 2025, an aviation conference in Dallas, where the product drew interest from global attendees, including potential buyers in Europe, Asia, and Australia.

With several pilot deals in development—including one set for Greece—Keller is optimistic about the road ahead. While 2025 may be a slower sales year due to existing contracts with established suppliers, he hopes that once his bucket proves itself in the field, it will open the door for broader adoption.

His long-term plan is to produce around 25 units per year with a small team, supplying firefighting crews both in Wyoming and internationally.

“I just want to see my bucket out on a fire,” Keller said. “Once people see what it can do, I think they’ll come around.”