Defence Forces carried out world’s first aerial evacuation from front line using hexacopter. VIDEO
Drone Industry
Soldiers from the unmanned ground systems company, part of the 92nd Separate Assault Brigade named after Koshovyi Ataman Ivan Sirko, carried out the world’s first successful evacuation of a wounded person using a flying drone.
This was reported by Censor.NET.
Details of the operation
"This is a historic event, at least for our unit, that’s for sure," says Napalm, a squad leader and programmer with the unmanned ground systems company of the 92nd Separate Assault Brigade.
An infantryman from the 30th Mechanised Brigade was wounded whilst at his post. However, due to the high activity of enemy drones and the mined terrain, it was impossible to evacuate him using the now-traditional UGVs.
Specialists from the 92nd Brigade decided to evacuate the soldier using an aerial drone.
"It was a heavy hexacopter manufactured by the Ukrainian company Gurzuf Defence, which the company provided free of charge. Our specialists, working closely with the manufacturer, implemented technical solutions that enabled the heavy drone to carry out the evacuation whilst maintaining stability in the air, without overturning or excessive swaying.
"They also conducted preliminary tests at sites provided by Gurzuf Defence and planned the mission in collaboration with related units," the statement reads.
The drone was operated by a UAV operator from the 30th Separate Mechanised Brigade. The wounded soldier was successfully rescued and is currently undergoing treatment and rehabilitation.
The evacuation was carried out jointly by the 92nd Separate Mechanised Brigade, the 30th Separate Mechanised Brigade, the 14th Separate Mechanised Brigade, the 10th Army Corps and Gurzuf Defence.
The Northern Region Military Medical Clinical Center provided details.
The Defense Forces in the Kharkiv region carried out an air evacuation of a wounded soldier from the battlefield. Konstiantyn, a 49-year-old soldier who had both legs amputated, was rescued by a large drone from a position in the Kupiansk sector.
"The soldier was holding the observation post on his own: the Russians killed his comrade with airstrikes, and Konstiantyn was wounded in both legs and remained at the position alone.
Several attempts to evacuate the soldier using various means, including a UGV, failed. The enemy did everything possible to thwart the missions. Despite everything, under extremely difficult conditions, the soldier continued to carry out combat missions and hoped for evacuation," they reported.
The soldier said that the Russians had offered him the chance to surrender.
"They dropped a loudspeaker or a record player and put psychological pressure on me. I remember it all word for word, because that recording played over and over again: 'Brother, we know you're here. Your comrades won’t help you. Did you hear that explosion? The next one might hit you. A white lantern will lead you out. And then—captivity, exchange, and home!"
They knew I was the 300th man and that I’d already lost my comrade and was holding the position alone. I just shouted, "Russian warship, go away…" And that was it. After that, they dropped two anti-tank mines… My command, my company commander—I’m very grateful to him—kept everything under control; along with food and water, they kept dropping medicine to me the whole time: Betadine, antibiotics, painkillers, and other things," says the defender.
At a hospital in Kharkiv, the soldier underwent several surgeries; before that, it took several days to stabilize his condition.
"They’re all my angels now, especially the pilot. He came to visit me at the hospital. The general came, too, and the drone manufacturers brought me gifts here… Where did I find the strength, and how did I hold on? I don’t know—God helped me.
The command staff encouraged me. I have a great company commander and great guys—my brothers in arms. They were all very worried about me. And it was precisely that—knowing that someone was thinking of me, that no one had abandoned me—that kept me going all this time," says the soldier.
