The 1998 Steven Spielberg film Saving Private Ryan, starring Tom Hanks, was an instant success and went on to win five Academy Awards. It tells the story of a squad of U.S. soldiers sent deep into enemy territory to locate and bring home Private James Ryan. Along the way, the squad faces a series of heartbreaking trials. Beyond its phenomenal script, directing, and acting, the film’s central theme of never leaving a soldier behind has continued to inspire active service members, veterans, and civilians worldwide.

The U.S. Army Rangers uphold the Ranger Creed, which includes the promise, “I will never leave a fallen comrade to fall into the hands of the enemy,” while the U.S. Marine Corps follows the deeply rooted ethos of “leave no Marine behind.” While these are valiant commitments, the reality is that honoring them can be extremely dangerous. With the steady progression of technology, however, military personnel now have more tools than ever to ensure no one is left behind.

Recently, the Rubizh (4th) Brigade of Ukraine’s National Guard, also known as the “Force of Freedom” brigade, carried out a first-of-its-kind rescue mission utilizing drone technology. While the United States pioneered the use of drones for military operations, Ukraine has revolutionized their applications over the last four years. When Russia launched its invasion of Ukraine on February 24, 2022, the smaller nation quickly had to think outside the box to survive. Thanks to donations from allies, Ukraine has held off the larger Russian forces. One of Ukraine’s greatest assets has been the novel deployment of drones in the air, on land, and at sea.

Their latest innovation involved using a drone to deliver an 88-pound e-bike to a soldier stranded behind enemy lines. A soldier known by the call sign Tankist, along with four of his squad members, was trapped near a shelter in Siversk in the city of Donetsk. Tankist was the only surviving member of his squad, and the Force of Freedom was determined to bring him home safely. But as Junior Lieutenant Chief of Staff Mykola Hrytsenko explained, this was no easy task.

Hrytsenko said that the area is notoriously difficult to travel, with few reliable exits and soldiers needing to walk close to 5 miles to reach safety. “The enemy was in front, behind, and on both flanks. Completely surrounded,” he said of Tankist’s predicament. So they decided to take a gamble and use a heavy-lift drone to deliver an e-bike as a means of evacuation that would not put any other soldiers at risk.

Ukraine has been using cargo drones, such as the Baba Yaga developed by SkyFall and the Heavy Shot produced by Gurzuf Defence, both Ukrainian manufacturers, as bombers and to transport 40–50 pounds of cargo. These drones were rapidly developed using commercial drone platforms and domestic manufacturing capabilities, allowing them to carry supplies, equipment, and weapons to frontline positions too dangerous for traditional transport.

With a cargo load of 40 pounds, the Heavy Shot drone has a range of approximately 3 to 6 miles. The e-bike weighed more than double this, limiting the range to less than 2 miles. It was a risk, Hrytsenko said they were willing to take. The brigade attached the e-bike to the drone with cables and operated it through FPV (First Person View) mode into the contested territory. The first two attempts failed, with the first drone being shot down and the second’s motor burning out.

Undeterred, the team attached a third e-bike to a new drone as close to the frontline as possible. The third time proved successful, as the drone delivered the e-bike to Tankist. He still had a long way to go to reach safety, encountered a landmine, and lost the bike, but ultimately made it back to his brigade without putting any other lives at risk.

“The operation cost us two lost e-bikes, around 100,000 {UAH}, and two lost Heavy Shot drones, $15,000 each,” Hrytsenko said. But no price can be put on the life the mission saved. Much like the fictional squad in Saving Private Ryan, the Force of Freedom undertook extraordinary risks to bring one of their own to safety. Their actions reflect a timeless military creed and demonstrate how modern technology can carry forward the same unwavering commitment to never leaving a comrade behind.

Previous Drone News: