Ukraine Evacuating Wounded Soldiers With Large Drones in a Battlefield First

It’s no exaggeration to say that Ukraine’s battlefield innovations will inform NATO doctrine for the next several generations.

Now, in what is certainly a first for the battlefield, Ukraine is evacuating its seriously wounded on large drones that have a 400lb carrying capacity.

A study published in February 2021 by Lieutenant-Colonel Joseph Maddry at the U.S. Army’s Institute of Surgical Research examined the records of 1,267 patients transported with traumatic injuries. At least half did not receive any life-saving intervention en route and so might have been moved safely by drone.

Ukraine apparently read the report and said, ‘Hold my beer.’

According to The Economist, Ukraine has already used large cargo drones capable of carrying 180kg (400lb) loads up to 70km (43 miles!), to evacuate wounded personnel.

This makes Ukraine the first country to conduct this sort of automated medevac.

The Economist doesn’t go into any more detail leaving us to make educated guesses about how Ukraine might be executing their evacuations by drone.

There are only a handful of cargo drones that are capable of both lifting 400+ lbs and traveling 43 miles, which narrows down our search considerably.

Vulcan Airlift