# Ukraine says heavy-lift drone evacuated wounded soldier from mined territory

_Published Tuesday, October 20, 2026 at 7:07 AM EDT · Robotics · Latest · Tier 2 — Notable_

![Wounded soldier rescued using hexacopter drone — Primary](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/JLvJtqE9ejZFc92jxj5Fu3-1920-80.jpg)

Ukraine's military says it used an unmanned hexacopter to evacuate a wounded soldier from a heavily mined area on the eastern Kharkiv front, where Russian attack drones prevented a conventional rescue. United24 shared video showing the soldier attaching himself to a harness before the flight.

The operation used a Gurzuf Defense drone capable of carrying 130kg; the soldier weighed 80kg. An operator said the team maintained contact throughout, while Ukrainian support drones accompanied the evacuation. The soldier reached safety and is receiving treatment. The military claims a world first, and a brigade leader indicated the operation could inform a personnel evacuation system.

## Sources

- [Tom's Hardware](https://www.tomshardware.com/tech-industry/drones/ukraine-rescues-wounded-soldier-using-hexacopter-drone-in-daring-first-heavy-lift-uav-brought-the-injured-infantryman-11-miles-back-to-safety)

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Canonical: https://techandbusiness.org/newswire/pCuK0NhzT5lmGKY90TCXzu
Published: 2026-10-20T11:07:36.951Z
Story chronology: 2026-10-20T10:00:00.000Z
Retrieved: 2026-10-20T15:24:10.972Z
Publisher: Tech & Business (techandbusiness.org)