Ukrainian soldiers received a high-speed MAUL drone to evacuate the wounded

Ukrainian ground-based drones used to evacuate wounded soldiers are capable of reaching significantly higher speeds than unmanned platforms designed for combat missions or cargo transport. Developers and medical professionals note that this feature allows for a shorter time spent in dangerous areas of the front line and reduces the risk of being struck by Russian drones. 

At the same time, high speed creates additional risks during evacuation.

The Ukrainian robotics company DevDroid has developed the MAUL evacuation drone, which has reached a maximum recorded speed of 72 km/h while performing missions.

According to Oleg Fedoryshyn, the company’s director of research and development, this speed allows the drone to traverse dangerous areas more quickly and, in some cases, evade attacks by Russian drones.

According to Fedoryshyn, the high speed also allows for the more rapid transport of a wounded soldier to a location where he can receive the necessary medical care.

U.S. Navy veteran Jeffrey Wells notes that due to the active use of drones, the last few kilometers of the route to the wounded soldier have become one of the most dangerous sections on the front lines.

Evacuations are often conducted on a point-to-point basis, so every minute that a ground-based drone remains at risk of detection increases the risk of its destruction.

According to Wells, high speed reduces the time spent in the danger zone for both the robot itself and the wounded Ukrainian defender it is transporting.

At the same time, high speed also has significant drawbacks.

Oleg Fedoryshyn emphasizes that at high speeds, even a minor operator error can have serious consequences. In particular, signal delay or a control error can lead to the loss of the drone.

Jeffrey Wells also points out that high-speed platforms leave the operator with fewer opportunities to correct a mistake.

“A miscalculated turn or loss of control at high speed is more likely to result in a rollover, and a rollover with an injured person on board is a serious problem,” Wells noted.

At the same time, the expert emphasizes that speed is just one of many factors that must be taken into account during the evacuation of the wounded.

“An injured person is not cargo,” Wells emphasized. “High speed while traveling over rough terrain inevitably leads to jolting, which can exacerbate bleeding, fractures, or spinal injuries, especially if there is no attendant nearby capable of monitoring the casualty’s condition or providing assistance.”

Thus, a drone’s maximum speed does not always mean that it will actually travel at that speed during a real evacuation.

For example, one of the battalions posted on social media about an operation involving a robot capable of reaching speeds of up to 38 km/h. However, during that specific mission, its average speed was only 18 km/h.

As Ukraine develops its ground-based robotic platforms, Russia is also increasing its use of high-speed drones in attacks on Ukraine.

According to Colonel Yuriy Ignat, chief spokesperson for the Ukrainian Air Force, Russia has already launched 7,700 turbojet strike drones against Ukraine. Russian forces deployed the majority of these drones over the course of the summer.

In September, according to Ignat, Russia had already launched 1,900 faster and more advanced drones.

The high speed of jet-powered drones poses additional challenges for Ukraine’s air defense. At the same time, Ukraine continues to seek affordable solutions that could be mass-produced to counter such threats.

Business Insider reports on this.

Earlier, the Ukrainian ground-based robotic system Varkhan was officially adopted and authorized for use by the Defense Forces. The robot is already operating on the front lines and performing logistical tasks—in particular, delivering cargo to positions where it is too dangerous to send soldiers. The maximum payload it can carry is 300 kilograms.

Since the beginning of 2026, the Ukrainian Ministry of Defense has authorized the use of 650 unmanned aerial systems by the Armed Forces, most of which are domestically produced.