Ukraine Claims World's First Drone Evacuation of Wounded Soldier

Ukraine announced it executed the world's first evacuation of a wounded soldier through the use of a drone, employing a heavy-lift hexacopter instead of conventional ground methods which proved too hazardous due to enemy drone activity and landmines. According to NBC News, a video shared by the 92nd Separate Assault Brigade on Monday depicted the soldier fastening himself into the drone and being transported at an apparent low altitude across obscured terrain.

The drone gently lowered the soldier, and the operator greeted him with "Welcome back to the ground!" The post also included blurred faces of the drone operators who executed the mission. The unidentified infantryman had sustained injuries at his position, with the brigade explaining that conventional unmanned ground vehicles were rendered ineffective due to the intense enemy drone activity and presence of landmines.

Specialists within the unit took it upon themselves to undertake what had never been accomplished before: evacuating a serviceman using an aerial drone. The craft utilized was a heavy-lift hexacopter, originally designed as a bomber by a Ukrainian manufacturer, visible to be roughly twice the size of the soldier in the video. The specialists involved in the operation had to ensure the drone could support a human without flipping over or swaying excessively, as stated by the unit.