A large part of the reason that these are multi million dollar vehicles is that it needs to safely sustain a human pilot in it.
Also, that pilot does need to get paid on the 350 days a year that there are no forest fires to be extinguished.
Also, that pilot does need to get paid on the 350 days a year that there are no forest fires to be extinguished.
Yes, the amplifiers are cheap, but the rest of the board isn't and if the amplifiers get blown up that's 1000 dollars in support costs and RMAs, bad customer opinion and a line stoppage to boot.