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This research introduces an input-shaping strategy for a firefighter helicopter evacuating water from a bucket suspended by a cable. A three-degree-of-freedom model analyzes the dynamics to minimise the bucket’s sway. The study explores various scenarios, including those involving variable mass, to assess the bucket’s swing and the helicopter’s kinematic stability during water evacuation. The input shaping technique is employed to enhance the speed of evacuation manoeuvres and achieve desired end conditions. The study also takes into account the system’s constraints and limitations during these manoeuvres. System parameters such as water mass, cable length, and input functions were analysed. Numerical simulations were performed, demonstrating the technique’s ability to reduce the system’s swinging. These results were benchmarked against an unoptimised reference case, confirming the method’s efficacy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]