Aerial Medevac: Ukrainian Regiment Recovers Wounded Using AI Drone
The 475th Separate Assault Regiment completed two complex extractions in a week, using StarGate drones to bypass enemy fire and electronic warfare near the Russian border.
By Larissa Shah ·
Ukrainian forces have integrated autonomous aerial vehicles into frontline medical logistics, executing two successful evacuations of wounded soldiers in the past week. These operations were conducted by the 475th Separate Assault Regiment, also identified as CODE 9.2, utilizing the StarGate drone system for casualty extraction.
The regiment began testing this capability after receiving the StarGate platform from its manufacturer, SkyFall. The system is designed for remote operation and features an AI-based navigation suite. This technology allows the drone to maintain flight paths even when satellite navigation signals are degraded or blocked by electronic interference.
The first two missions occurred in a grey zone approximately five kilometers from the Russian border. The terrain was difficult, featuring water obstacles, and the area was threatened by enemy FPV drones. Ground extraction was deemed impossible due to these hazards. Consequently, the military relied on aerial transport as the primary method for saving the two servicemen, aged 25 and 24.
Both soldiers sustained severe limb injuries and were placed in a dedicated medical capsule attached to the drone. The StarGate unit has a maximum payload capacity of 150 kilograms and a range of up to 30 kilometers. Its top speed reaches 105 kilometers per hour. To support the extractions, the regiment coordinated with other defense units to provide fire support, using Vampire attack drones to suppress Russian positions.
During one specific mission, the StarGate traveled nearly 30 kilometers to reach the wounded soldier. The return journey covered a similar distance with the patient on board. Enemy forces actively deployed electronic warfare systems in the operational area to suppress satellite signals. The drone's AI system compensated for this loss of GPS data, ensuring a safe landing.
Oleksandr "Flint" Nastenko, the regiment's commander, stated that the experience gained from these missions will inform the creation of a dedicated medical aviation unit. He explained that this new unit will specialize in air-based evacuation of wounded soldiers. The regiment aims to institutionalize this procedure to improve survival rates for infantry in contested zones.
This development follows a separate report on October 19 regarding the first aerial evacuation of a wounded soldier. That operation utilized a drone manufactured by Gurzuf Defence. The use of SkyFall's StarGate represents a second distinct instance of air-based medical evacuation, highlighting the expanding role of unmanned systems in battlefield triage.
