How the Maul UGV evacuated a wounded soldier in an armoured capsule: details and video

Units of the Armed Forces of Ukraine conducted an evacuation operation codenamed GVER, using the MAUL evacuation unmanned ground vehicle (UGV) to extract a severely wounded soldier from a settlement under enemy control. The operation was planned and carried out by the First Separate Medical Battalion.

The mission utilised the MAUL ground robotic complex, developed by specialists from the same battalion. The platform is based on a quad bike, equipped with an internal combustion engine, and capable of reaching speeds of up to 70 km/h.

During the mission, the robot struck an anti-personnel mine but remained controllable and continued its task. On the return route, the UGV came under attack from an enemy drone that dropped an explosive device; however, the armoured capsule protected the wounded soldier.

The total route length was 64 kilometres, of which 37 kilometres were covered with a damaged wheel after the mine detonation. The mission lasted 5 hours and 58 minutes, with an average speed of 13 km/h and a maximum of 29 km/h..

The MAUL Evac system features a specially designed armoured capsule for transporting wounded personnel, capable of withstanding FPV drone strikes. The robot has a payload capacity of up to 200 kg and a deployment time of up to 10 minutes. Its range is 150 km on hard surfaces and 100 km off-road. The production licence belongs to the Ukrainian manufacturer DevDroid.

Thirty-three days passed between the soldier’s injury and the evacuation. During that time, six unsuccessful rescue attempts were made, resulting in the loss of several ground robotic platforms, including those from supporting units. The wounded serviceman received emergency medical care, was stabilised, and transferred for further treatment.