A moment destined to go down in military history was captured on the eastern front near Kharkiv, Ukraine, as a drone transported a wounded soldier — a marine operating under the call sign “Kostya” — to safety, covering 18 kilometers from the point of rescue. Evacuation by a Ukrainian rescue team or ground vehicle was not a safe option. So, in order to retrieve him, his commanders decided to deploy a modified bomber drone. For this rescue mission, they also sent a smaller kamikaze drone, along with quadcopters armed with nets designed to intercept and trap enemy aircraft. The drone then descended vertically and landed beside him.
Ukraine: Strapped in and airlifted to safety
The soldier, a member of the 92nd Assault Brigade, was secured to the drone known as “Heavy Shot.” The pilot operating it carried the call sign “Chornyi” — meaning “Black” — and belongs to the 30th Mechanized Brigade. A safety harness capable of supporting the soldier’s 80 kg body weight was fitted around him. Once airborne, the soldier was transported a distance of 18 kilometers. The remaining Ukrainian drones played the role of interceptors, providing aerial cover throughout the mission. As he touched down, the platoon commander of the Unmanned Systems Unit of the 92nd Assault Brigade radioed to him: “Welcome back to Earth.” Others were not so fortunate.
BREAKING:
Ukraine has carried out the first evacuation in history of a wounded soldier from the frontlines by an aerial drone pic.twitter.com/6vnOve3BKH
— Visegrád 24 (@visegrad24) October 19, 2026
The “Heavy Shot” drone proved to be the right tool for the job, having already set a Ukrainian record by lifting loads of up to 130 kg. It was manufactured by Gurzuf Defence. Under the name “Ayudag” — named after a mountain in Russian-occupied Crimea — it is capable of carrying 90 kg over distances of up to 25 kilometers during operational missions. Gurzuf Defence provided the heavy hexacopter to the troops free of charge. The aircraft had been modified to maintain stability and balance, preventing it from tipping or swaying excessively during flight.
The company is also developing models with increased payload capacity. One model that has already received official approval from the Ministry of Defence and is now being produced on an industrial scale to fulfill orders from units across all branches of the armed forces is the Ayudag-6.
