On October 19, 2026, troops from the Unmanned Systems Forces of the Ukrainian Ground Forces, together with the 92nd Ivan Sirko Separate Assault Brigade, carried out what is being called the world's first aerial evacuation of a wounded soldier directly from the frontline. The operation was performed using a heavy hexacopter, and its execution was reported by the official Telegram channel of the 92nd Separate Assault Brigade, referenced by RBC-Ukraine and other media outlets. According to the brigade, the wounded infantryman is already undergoing treatment and rehabilitation, and his life is not in danger.

Why the Wounded Soldier Could Not Be Retrieved in the Traditional Way

An infantryman from the 30th Separate Mechanized Brigade was positioned at his post and sustained injuries. As noted by the 92nd Separate Assault Brigade, due to high enemy drone activity and heavily mined terrain, evacuating him using traditional ground-based robotic systems (UGVs) was impossible. Gordonua adds further context: according to their reports, a serviceman named Kostiantyn was holding an observation post alone after his fellow soldier was killed by Russian drone drops, and several attempts to rescue him via ground means failed.

Heavy Hexacopter and the Stability Challenge

Specialists from the unmanned ground systems company of the 92nd Separate Assault Brigade undertook the task of evacuating the soldier using an aerial drone. For this purpose, they used a heavy hexacopter from Ukrainian manufacturer Gurzuf Defence, which the company provided free of charge. The key technical challenge was stability: the heavy bomber had to carry a person without flipping over or swaying. According to the military, they worked with the manufacturer to implement a technical solution that successfully resolved this issue.

From Testing Grounds to Combat Mission

Before the operation, the team conducted preliminary tests at facilities provided by Gurzuf Defence and planned the mission alongside neighboring units. The drone was piloted by a UAV operator from the 30th Separate Mechanized Brigade. The 92nd Separate Assault Brigade emphasizes that the evacuation was made possible through the joint efforts of the 92nd Brigade, the 30th and 14th Mechanized Brigades, the 10th Army Corps, and Gurzuf Defence.

Result and Claimed Trend

The operation concluded successfully: the wounded soldier is undergoing treatment and rehabilitation, and his life is no longer in danger. The brigade states that the mission once again demonstrated how Ukrainian servicemen, in cooperation with domestic manufacturers, are setting global trends in warfare by expanding capabilities for saving personnel and evacuating the wounded.

Drones Also Used to Deliver Robots

The use of heavy drones in combat operations is not limited to evacuations. According to Brave1, back in September, fighters from the Alter Ego UGV battalion of the 93rd Separate Mechanized Brigade developed a technology for deploying UGVs using drones: they created their own Desantnyk (Paratrooper) system and a solution for precise payload dropping from a bomber, completing the journey from idea to combat deployment in just 10 days.