Overview

• Three HeavyShot drones attempted to lower the 88-pound electric bike, losing two before the third drop via winch enabled the soldier to mount the bike.
• The soldier, call sign “Tankist,” rode 400 meters before hitting a land mine, then walked several hundred meters and used a second drone-delivered bike to reach friendly lines.
• The operation cost two volunteer-funded electric bikes (about $100,000) and two HeavyShot drones valued at $15,000 each, highlighting the high material price of frontline innovation.
• This marks one of the first documented instances of an FPV drone airlifting a full-sized vehicle in active combat, stretching its payload to a roughly two-kilometer range.
• Ukraine’s volunteer-supported units are increasingly relying on improvised unmanned systems for logistics, reconnaissance and casualty evacuation in contested zones.