Stories
Ukraine Tests StarGate Drone to Revolutionize Battlefield Evacuations
- •The SkyFall drone company developed the StarGate platform following a request from a frontline Ukrainian commander for safer wounded soldier evacuations.
- •The system is currently undergoing testing by the Ukrainian military and is expected to cut frontline evacuation times by up to two hours.
- •StarGate features a one-way range of 15 kilometres, a payload capacity of 150 kilograms, and a stretcher-shaped medical evacuation chamber.
- •The drone cruises at a speed of 65 km/h, can be prepared for flight in 10 minutes, and utilizes AI-based navigation alongside dual communication channels.
Key Questions Answered
Developed by SkyFall, the StarGate drone is a medical evacuation platform designed to safely extract wounded soldiers from dangerous front-line positions. Equipped with a stretcher-shaped medical module, it can carry up to 150 kilograms—including a wounded soldier in armor and combat gear—and is expected to cut evacuation times by up to two hours.
The StarGate drone has a one-way range of 15 kilometers, a cruising speed of 65 km/h, and can be prepared for flight in about 10 minutes. It utilizes two communication channels—SpaceX's Starlink and the proprietary L-Link system—alongside an AI-based navigation system that allows it to operate even when satellite navigation is unavailable.
Because Ukraine has a much smaller population than Russia, battlefield losses have a severely disproportionate impact on the country. This makes every single soldier saved through faster extraction and medical treatment exceptionally valuable.
