The Ukrainian army rescues one of its soldiers using a drone

The Ukrainian army has announced that it rescued one of its soldiers, who had been wounded on the front line, using a drone. The soldier was in a minefield that could not be reached by conventional means, which is why the commanders of the 92nd Assault Brigade decided to use a hexacopter (a six-rotor drone) capable of lifting up to 150 kilograms to transport the soldier to a location suitable for medical treatment. The footage released by the Ukrainian army is the first video documentation of the evacuation of a wounded soldier using a UAV (unmanned aerial vehicle), although it is not the first rescue operation to have utilised a remotely piloted vehicle. In April 2026, the Ukrainian army released a video showing a robot providing assistance to an elderly woman who had been wounded in Lyman.

The 92nd Assault Brigade has announced that “the operation was a success: the injured man has been saved! He is now receiving treatment and undergoing rehabilitation, and his life is no longer in danger”.

“Russian drones and landmines are making conventional medical evacuation increasingly dangerous. Our military personnel and engineers are developing new ways to bring wounded soldiers home,” the Ukrainian army wrote on social media.

The 92nd Brigade stated that Ukrainian troops had collaborated with Gurzuf Defence, a Ukrainian start-up, to ensure that the drone did not tip over or sway excessively whilst transporting the wounded soldier. A Heavy Shot Ayudag-6 was used for the rescue, travelling 62 kilometres, the company announced: “Until now, heavy drones have delivered ammunition and supplies to the front line. Now they can also be used to save lives.”