Soldiers assigned to the Regimental Support Squadron, 2d Cavalry Regiment, strap down a test dummy to a drone during an Autonomous Triage and Treatment Challenge taking place near Bemowo Piskie Training Area, Poland, May 10, 2026. (Thomas Madrzak/U.S. Army)
The Army has field-tested drones that can scout enemy positions, deliver blood bags to the front lines and rain attacks from above. Now, it is testing a drone designed to carry something bigger: a wounded soldier.
Troops watched this weekend as a test dummy was strapped onto Flowcopter’s FC-100 aircraft while company operators prepared the unmanned drone for flight. The aircraft is capable of carrying up to 1,400 pounds.
The demonstration marked another step in the military’s expanding use of unmanned aircraft — not just to identify or destroy targets, but potentially to evacuate casualties from contested battlefields where traditional medevac helicopters may be unable to safely operate.
Among those observing were soldiers from the Vilseck, Germany-based 2nd Cavalry Regiment, which has played a key role in testing emerging autonomous technologies through Army initiatives such as Transforming in Contact and Project Flytrap.
The test took place during Saber Strike, a large-scale Army exercise involving more than 15,000 U.S. and NATO troops training on air defense systems, counter-drone operations and battlefield coordination across Eastern Europe.
“The Army has many different demands to improve how medical decisions are made,” Capt. James Yu, with the 75th Innovation Command, said in an Army video Sunday.
“We’re looking at technologies that will really improve the U.S.’s ability to fight and take care of its warfighters in future large-scale combat operation environments,” he added.
The Army has spent years experimenting with drones capable of delivering blood bags and other lifesaving medical supplies to frontline troops.
Flowcopter pushed the concept further by testing whether unmanned aircraft could eventually evacuate wounded troops without exposing more soldiers or medics to combat.
Unlike smaller commercial-style drones, the FC-100 uses a hydraulic-powered engine and relies on preplanned flight paths, autonomous navigation systems and remote piloting capabilities that allow operators to monitor and adjust the aircraft during flight.
According to the company, the drone can remain airborne for up to 11 hours while carrying 110 pounds, or about five hours with a 330-pound payload. Carrying 220 pounds, the aircraft can travel more than 60 miles.
Still, the concept presents challenges for battlefield medicine. Unlike traditional medevac helicopters staffed with medics, unmanned aircraft cannot provide treatment while transporting casualties.
The Army has not announced whether Flowcopter will move forward with additional prototyping, but the test offered soldiers a glimpse into how autonomous evacuation and medical resupply systems could become more common on future battlefields.
