Over the last few months an increasing number of reports have emerged from the russia-Ukraine war highlighting the use of unmanned systems in medical-specific contexts, UK Defence Intelligence reports.
Such reports have included an aerial drone delivering blood supplies for a critically injured patient, identifying casualties requiring medical support from a distance, and delivering an evacuation option (e-bike) from the air. This is in addition to multiple commercial prototype demonstrations of various unmanned ground systems for casualty evacuation.
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The delivery of medical supplies by drones to the critically injured, which allows for treatment in heavily contested areas where traditional help is unable to reach them, almost certainly increases the chances of survival where evacuation is delayed or protracted.
Remotely piloted unmanned ground systems have also been proven in Ukraine for casualty evacuation in certain scenarios, and it is almost certain that their future use will increase where traditional methods are unavailable due to the nature of the fighting.
Ultimately, such technologies are almost certainly helping to provide enhanced combat casualty care to the Armed Forces of Ukraine, enabling the potential for increased survival rates. Future development of remote medical care is expected to increase further throughout this war.
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