This U.S. Army Helicopter Drone Could Evacuate Wounded Soldiers

Here is an interesting innovation and concept, using a drone to evacuate wounded off the battlefield. The DP14 Hawk is similar to a miniature CH-47 Chinook helicopter, which reportedly can carry up to 430 pounds for about 2.4 hours.

Military drones aren’t just for attack or surveillance. If the U.S. Army has its way, its medics could soon call on unmanned helicopters to evacuate the wounded to nearby aid stations.

The U.S. Army Medical Research and Material Command is looking at the Dragonfly Pictures, Inc. DP-14 Hawk as a possible alternative to traditional helicopters for casualty evacuation. The DP-14 Hawk is a twin-rotor helicopter that looks like a miniature CH-47 Chinook. Small enough to fit in a utility van, it can be assembled and ready to fly in just thirty minutes.

Once operational, the Hawk has a cruise speed of about 82 miles an hour and can carry payloads of up to 430 pounds for up to 2.4 hours. Hawk can complete a mission autonomously, relying on internal navigation systems to get from one point to another—even without GPS.- Popular Mechanics

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U.S. Army Medical Research and Materiel Command, or USAMRMC appears to be evaluating this an alternative to traditional MEDEVAC but a decision or timeline has not been released yet.

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Image courtesy of the US Army