AI Drone Flies 30km to Rescue Wounded Soldiers From Russian EW Zone
Ukraine's 475th Regiment used a StarGate drone to extract two troops from a no-fly zone after satellite signals were jammed.
By Emily Carter ·
Ukrainian forces have successfully used an unmanned aerial vehicle to extract two severely injured soldiers from the front line. The operation, conducted by the 475th Separate Assault Regiment, also known as CODE 9.2, marks a new phase in aerial medical evacuation.
The regiment pulled 25-year-old Yevhen, alias Izium, and 24-year-old Artem, alias Kolobok, from a grey zone located five kilometers from the Russian border. The unit stated that ground evacuation was impossible due to difficult terrain, water obstacles, and the threat of enemy first-person view drones. Aerial extraction was the only viable option to save the men, who both sustained severe limb injuries.
The military spent one week preparing the missions in coordination with SkyFall, the manufacturer of the StarGate drone. The operation required fire support and coordination with other Ukrainian defense units. Heavy Vampire attack drones were deployed to suppress Russian positions during the extraction.
During one of the missions, the StarGate drone flew nearly 30 kilometers to reach a serviceman and the same distance back with the soldier on board. Russian forces actively deployed electronic warfare systems in the operational area to suppress satellite navigation signals. The drone’s AI-based navigation system allowed it to complete the mission despite the loss of GPS.
The StarGate drone has a range of up to 30 kilometers and can carry a payload of up to 150 kilograms. It is fitted with a dedicated medical capsule equipped with a stretcher for casualty evacuation. The remotely operated aircraft has a maximum speed of 105 kilometers per hour and utilizes AI-powered systems to function in the face of electronic warfare interference.
Oleksandr Flint Nastenko, commander of the 475th Separate Assault Regiment, said the experience gained from these drone evacuations will help the regiment establish a dedicated medical aviation unit. The new unit will specialize in evacuating wounded soldiers from the battlefield by air. SkyFall had previously handed over the StarGate drone to the military for frontline testing.
The recent operations follow a unique evacuation reported on October 19, in which the military used a drone manufactured by Gurzuf Defence to extract a wounded soldier. That operation marked the first time a Ukrainian unit used an aerial drone for such a rescue.
Source: Ukrainska Pravda
