The Russian invasion of Ukraine has placed unbelievable pressure on drone developers on both sides of the war, who have responded with astounding innovations that include:

• fiber-optic drones (to prevent radio jamming)
• kamikaze sea drones, eventually equipped with anti-air missiles
• drones that fire shotguns
• bomber drones that drop mines and grenades
• drones that release flaming thermite into trenches
• long-range, aircraft-style drones that can substitute for small cruise missiles
• interceptor drones that hunt down other drones
• first-person view (FPV) drones so maneuverable they can be piloted right through a broken window pane to hit indoor targets
• ground drones for both combat and transport

Many drone developers are now chasing the next big thing—AI built right into the drone, allowing it to make autonomous targeting decisions if its communication links are cut.

But sometimes you don't need high-tech software, agility, or stealth. Sometimes, you just need a really, really big drone that can carry an entire e-bike and deliver it to a soldier stranded several kilometers away.

Ukraine's 4th Rapid Reaction Brigade of the National Guard, dubbed "Rubizh," has just shared video of a large quadcopter drone that it used to conduct just such a mission. (And, because this is modern warfare, you can watch a 16-minute video about the operation on the brigade's YouTube channel.)

Details from a frontline war zone are almost impossible to verify, but the brigade has shared plenty of footage, including shots of the drone lifting the bike and a soldier riding it back to safety along a treeline. (Both sides are now making widespread use of e-bikes and motorcycles for quick infantry assaults after three years of drone warfare have wiped out many of the traditional armored vehicles.)

The drone command center that ran the operation.

In their telling, a soldier with the callsign "Tankist" was holding a frontline position that came under attack, and a number of his comrades were killed. Tankist found himself cut off from safety and had to hold the position alone for several days.

To retrieve him, brigade staff devised a plan to deliver an e-bike via heavy bomber drone. The first drone was shot down, while the second failed under the weight. But the third attempt was successful, and Tankist was finally able to zip back toward Ukrainian lines. (He apparently hit a landmine on the way and survived that, too, finishing the trip on a second delivered e-bike.)

Amazon, of course, has had "drone delivery" in view for years and is currently testing delivery drones at locations around the US, including Pontiac, Michigan; Phoenix, Arizona; and Waco, Texas.

But these drones will only deliver packages weighing under 5 lbs—an e-bike weighs considerably more.