A tethered unmanned aerial vehicle firefighting system includes a firefighting drone, a lifting drone and a tether line coupling the firefighting drone to a control station through the lifting drone. The control station includes a control unit for controlling the firefighting drone and the lifting drone, a fire retardant supply, a pump coupled to the fire retardant supply, and a power supply. The tether line includes a power line coupling the power source to and powering the firefighting drone and a fire retardant hose coupled between the pump and a nozzle carried by the firefighting drone. A lifting tower hold the tether from the control station at a height above ground level, and the lifting drone maintains the tether above obstruction for the firefighter drone. The firefighter drone disperses fire retardant from the nozzle for firefighting purposes and with a substantially unlimited supply of retardant and power.