Will the launch of ‘I-drone’ and ‘Medicine from the Sky Project’ bring health supplies revolution?

The Central government, on Monday, October 4, inaugurated a drone-based vaccine delivery project.  Shri Mansukh Mandaviya, Union Minister for Health and Family Welfare, inaugurated ICMR’s Drone Response and Outreach in North East, called I- Drone, Monday, October 4. After launching the initiative, Union Health Minister said, “India is home to geographical diversities, and drones can be used to deliver essentials to the last mile.

This technology can be used in critical situations. We can use drones in delivering life-saving medicines, collecting blood samples. This technology aims to address the challenges in health care delivery, particularly health supplies in difficult areas.” 

ICMR’s Drone Response and Outreach

Manipur, Nagaland and the union territory of Andaman and Nicobar Island has granted permission for the drone-based delivery project. ICMR orchestrated an initial study in collaboration with IIT- Kanpur to test the capacity of drones to carry and transfer vaccines safely.

These studies provided encouraging results, according to which the Ministry of Civil Aviation (MoCA), Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) and other authorities granted permission to fly drones beyond the Visual Line of Sight.

This is the first time that a ‘Make in India’ drone has been used in South Asia to transport the COVID vaccine over an ariel distance of 15 km in 15 minutes. The launch of I-Drone will smooth the path of vaccine delivery to hard-to-reach terrains of India. I-Drone may provide a new lease while addressing the challenges of medicinal and health supplies to isolated areas. 

‘Medicine from the Sky Project’

‘Medicine from the Sky Project’ collaborates with the Telangana government, World Economic Forum, HealthNet Global and Niti Aayog. With the launch of ‘Medicine from the Sky Project’, Telangana became the first state in India to venture on Beyond Visual Line of Sight (BVLoS) flights to deliver a payload comprising vaccines.

‘Medicine from the Sky Project’ aims to deliver medicines, vaccines and units of blood to rural and remote areas through a drone. 

The model hopes to deliver from district medical stores and blood banks to PHCs, Community Healthcare Centres (CHCs) and further from PHCs/CHCs to central diagnostic laboratories. It can provide support to the healthcare industry and save as many lives at less accessible geographies. 

The use of drones can be beneficial when we talk about financial resources. Drones are much cheaper than helicopters and planes; drones could replace planes or helicopters and save us plenty of resources and money. Although when it comes to operations that do require carrying heavyweight, drones are not developed technologically yet. 

Why Drones? 

We are all unanimously that drones are here to stay, and their best days are yet to come. What’s surprising is hardly five years ago, anyone barely had seen any of these drones. You already relate to that dawdle by the park only to hear some peculiar fizzing sounds. You give a glance up and see the tiny swooping object hovering above. Yes, that’s a drone! 

PROS: 

• Reasonable price for every financial estimate 
• Exciting to use and gives instant gratification 
• Provides security and supervision to different industries 
• Can save a life during natural disasters 
• Fast transportation of goods 
• Drones can help to visualize agricultural growth 
• Capture overhead photographic views 

CONS 

• Restricted flight time 
• Defenceless against weather 
• Jurisdictive Issues 
• Prone to accidents 
• Used to harm animals 
• Can be hacked 
• It can be used for espionage 
• Threat to airports