- Ukrainian defense technology company SkyFall unveils new aerial medical evacuation drone
- StarGate can collect an injured soldier and fly them to the nearest medical unit
- StarGate has a one-way range of 15 kilometers, can fly autonomously, and is equipped with countermeasures
Ukrainian military personnel could soon be lifted off the battlefield by drone. Kyiv-based technology company SkyFall invited press to see its StarGate drone in action, demonstrating the carrying of a person suspended under the chassis.
A StarGate craft can carry a payload of up to 150 kilograms (330 pounds), enabling a single ground operative in body armor and with combat equipment to be rescued. The aerial medical evacuation drone can be deployed in about around 10 minutes and is equipped with anti-drone nets and other countermeasures.
Capable of a 15 kilometers range, the StarGate can travel at speeds of up to 65mph, and each craft has a basic price of $50,000, with various configurations available.
Automated evacuation
Unveiled to with a press demonstration, the StarGate was seen lifting off carrying a human in the enclosed pod underneath the craft. It has a 65 km/h (40 mph) cruise speed and can reach speeds of up to 105 km/h (65 mph), although its 15 km range does mean it needs to operate within a relatively small area.
A spokesperson for Ukrainian defense tech company SkyFall explained the origins of the concept, “The idea came directly from the front line, from the trenches,” and followed an approach from a commander of the 475th Separate Assault Regiment to find a safer way to evacuate wounded personnel.
The spokesperson explained how StarGate can improve the current rescue times. “Right now the evacuation takes from several hours to several days… with the StarGate we can evacuate a person in a matter of minutes.”
Assuming the injured personnel can make it into the stretcher, the craft can take them to safety, and medical care. “With the StarGate we can give the wounded soldier a golden chance,” he added.
SkyFall’s spokesperson attended the event with their face covered, and remained anonymous throughout.
Ambulance countermeasures
Airlifting injured personnel on the battlefield by drone has obvious challenges, not least from other drones. To help protect rescue efforts, the StarGate is equipped with some countermeasures. These include electronic jamming for attacking drones, and launching nets at attacking drones.
Modern warfare relies on electronic warfare as much as it does munitions. The StarGate has some additional features to assist in surviving GPS blocking, according to SkyFall’s spokesperson: “The drone has several AI functions that allow it to operate even in GPS-denied situations or in the environment of spoofing [and] blocking of the frequencies,” adding that while it is usually controlled by a remote operator, the case of interference, “the drone is fully autonomous.”
Design of the StarGate drone has evolved through several iterations, and SkyFall aims to build around 1,000 per month by the end of 2026. That’s potentially a lot of lives saved.