Milos Stankovic: The Ex Paratrooper Who Just Got Britain's First Bionic Upper Arm

Milos Stankovic is not your typical patient sitting in a clinic chair waiting for a fitting. At 63, the Plymouth resident is a former Parachute Regiment officer who lost his left arm in a motorcycle crash outside Valladolid in 2025. He has now become the first person in the UK to be fitted with a new type of bionic upper arm, a milestone that shifts the conversation on prosthetics from basic mobility to high performance living.

This is not just another medical update. It is a declaration that the gap between daily function and extreme sport is being closed by engineering. Stankovic’s story, as reported by the BBC, highlights a specific moment of change where technology meets human resilience in a way that was previously impossible for above elbow amputees.

The Crash That Changed Everything

The incident happened in 2025 while Stankovic was returning from a paramotoring course. He told the BBC that for reasons no one has ever worked out, he made contact with the central reservation barrier on a motorway. In that split second, he made a decision to put his arm out to steady himself, choosing to save his head.

The barrier sliced through his arm as he travelled along the road. He managed to stop the motorcycle, but when he dismounted, he initially thought he had only broken his leg. Then he noticed his arm was gone and blood was pouring out. He survived because an off duty police officer arrived moments later and used a belt as a tourniquet to stop the blood flow. From the moment he regained consciousness in intensive care, his focus was singular: returning to motorbiking, cycling, and paragliding.

A New Kind of Prosthetic

The device he has received was developed by Bristol based Open Bionics. It is a lightweight, hollow, 3D printed limb designed specifically for above elbow amputation, known medically as a transhumeral prosthesis. This is significant because the company had previously mainly specialised in devices for people who have lost a limb below the elbow. Fitting this new type of limb marks a major expansion for the firm and a major leap for users.

Stankovic currently uses an NHS funded prosthetic arm, but he noted it was designed primarily for everyday use rather than physically demanding sports. The new device addresses this gap. He believes the hollow design will make a difference to active users like him because it allows the limb to breathe and sweat to drain out. This is a crucial detail for anyone who intends to put the device through its paces in the rain or under physical strain.

Built for the Active

Stankovic described himself as very lucky to be the first person in Britain to be fitted with this prosthetic. His hope is that it will allow him to return to extreme sports, a goal that has driven his recovery since the crash in Spain. The ability to sweat and breathe through the limb is not a minor feature; it is the difference between a device that feels like a tool and one that feels like part of the body.

He thanked the prosthetic specialists at the Bristol Centre for Enablement for their role in the process. The collaboration between the specialist centre and the engineering firm highlights a growing trend in healthcare where bespoke, high performance solutions are becoming accessible to a wider group of patients. It is no longer about just replacing a function; it is about enhancing the capacity for movement and endurance.

What This Means for the Future

This development signals a shift in how we approach prosthetics for active individuals. The focus is moving away from generic, one size fits all solutions towards devices that are engineered for specific lifestyles and physical demands. For amputees who want to return to sport, this is a game changer. The hollow design is a practical innovation that addresses a real physical need: thermoregulation and comfort during exertion.

Stankovic’s experience suggests that the future of prosthetics is not just about medical necessity but about human potential. By enabling a former paratrooper to potentially return to extreme sports, this technology is expanding the definition of what is possible after a life changing injury. It is a reminder that innovation in healthcare can unlock doors that were previously thought permanently closed.