KYIV, October 17 – The Ukrainian company SkyFall has developed the StarGate unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) designed to evacuate wounded soldiers from frontline areas, where ground vehicles can only reach with difficulty or not at all. The new technology is intended to help save lives in areas where evacuation is complicated by enemy drones, artillery fire, and damaged infrastructure. According to the Associated Press (AP), the device has been handed over to a Ukrainian combat unit for testing under conditions close to real deployment.
SkyFall began developing the evacuation drone at the request of the Ukrainian army, which was looking for a safer way to transport the wounded from difficult-to-reach positions. The device is equipped with suspended stretchers and a medical evacuation cabin. Its maximum payload is 150 kilograms, which, according to the manufacturer, allows it to transport a soldier along with their personal equipment. The drone is designed to operate in rain and snow, and its range in one direction is up to 15 kilometers.
The drone's range could be crucial for rescue operations in so-called "death zones," areas where soldiers are constantly at risk of attack by drones and artillery. According to AP, these zones can extend up to ten to fifteen kilometers. Some wounded soldiers therefore remain in inaccessible locations for long periods because their retrieval poses an extraordinary risk to other members of the units.
The StarGate also features technologies designed to increase flight safety. During a demonstration, the company showcased a system that can fire a net at an approaching enemy drone. The design also allows the aircraft to continue flying even if one of its arms is damaged. In addition to manual control, the drone uses artificial intelligence functions that are intended to facilitate navigation in environments without a GPS signal or in the presence of electronic jamming.
If the connection with the operator is interrupted, the device should be able to plan a route to a safe area. However, the manufacturer has not yet provided sufficient data to demonstrate its reliability in actual combat operations. A representative of the Ukrainian army stated that this is a new method of evacuation, and its advantages and limitations can only be assessed based on practical experience. According to him, the unit needs at least a month of testing to responsibly assess the effectiveness of the system.
SkyFall was founded after the start of the Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022 and also manufactures heavy drones known by the nickname Baba Yaga. The name StarGate, which translates to "Stargate" in Czech, refers to the same-named science fiction series. The introduction of evacuation drones could expand the possibilities of medical assistance on the battlefield and reduce the risk for rescue teams. The actual benefits of the technology will only be demonstrated by the results of the ongoing tests.
Jan Vojtěch, Editor-in-Chief, General News