German military tests drone system for combat casualty evacuations

DPAThu, July 16, 2026 at 2:48 PM UTC1 min readAdd Yahoo as a preferred source to see more of our stories on Google.

Germany's military, the Bundeswehr, is testing a new drone system designed to evacuate casualties from combat zones, following a contract signed with manufacturer Avilus, the two sides said on Thursday.

The contract, signed in early April, is for a trial operation using two "Grille" drones. The project also includes soldier training, the two sides said.

"The aim is to precisely adapt the system to the specific operational requirements of the armed forces through practical testing with the Bundeswehr's medical service," a statement said.

The manufacturer said the Grille drones have a range of around 50 kilometres, fly at approximately 90 kilometres per hour and can carry people weighing up to 135 kilograms.