The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), in collaboration with the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) Delhi and Dr. Shroff’s Charity Eye Hospital, in an initiative supported by the Union Ministry of Civil Aviation has successfully performed a feasibility examine to assess the potential of utilizing drones to transport delicate ophthalmic biomaterials, together with human corneas and amniotic membrane grafts from peripheral assortment centres to tertiary hospitals for transplantation procedures, in Haryana’s Sonipat and Jhajjar on Tuesday (March 25, 2025).
The drone successfully transported corneal tissue from Dr. Shroff’s Charity Eye Hospital (Sonipat centre) to the National Cancer Institute (NCI), AIIMS Jhajjar, and subsequently to AIIMS New Delhi, a distance that normally takes about two-and-a-half-hours by street and was lined in 40 minutes with drones. The drone maintained optimum situations for specimen integrity and the cornea was evaluated upon arrival, main to a profitable transplant surgical procedure.
Over the previous few years, ICMR’s i-DRONE initiative has demonstrated the profitable use of drones to ship important medical provides, together with to States in northeast India (COVID-19 and Universal Immunisation Programme or UIP vaccines, drugs, and surgical supplies), Himachal Pradesh (drugs and samples in excessive altitude and sub-zero temperatures), Telangana (TB sputum samples), and the National Capital Region (blood baggage and associated elements). These efforts spotlight the rising functionality and promise of drones in bridging the final mile healthcare hole.
Speaking of the profitable deployment of drones, Rajiv Bahl, Secretary, Department of Health Research, and Director General, ICMR, stated that the i-DRONE platform was initially conceived through the COVID-19 pandemic to ship vaccines to distant areas.
“Since then, we have scaled our efforts to include low-temperature delivery of blood products and essential medicines to high-altitude and sub-zero [temperature] locations. This cornea transport study marks another step forward — enhancing patient access, ensuring timely transplants, and reducing pressure on overburdened tertiary hospitals,’’ Dr. Bahl said.
The Central government has also maintained that drones are emerging as gamechangers in healthcare logistics, offering rapid delivery of life-saving medical supplies to remote and hard-to-reach areas.
The timely transportation of corneal tissues is critical as the viability of donated corneas is time-sensitive. Delays in transportation can compromise tissue quality and reduce the chances of successful transplantation. Drone-based transport offers a swift, temperature-stable, and efficient alternative to traditional road networks, which are often slow or unpredictable, especially in semi-urban or rural areas. This can help bridge the gap between donor sites and recipients, ensuring that no viable tissue goes unused, and that more patients regain sight in time.
Piyush Srivastava, Additional Secretary and Senior Economic Advisor, Ministry of Civil Aviation, said the collaboration between health and aviation sectors is an inspiring example of tech-enabled social impact. “Drones offer a scalable solution for timely medical delivery in geographically challenging areas,’’ Mr. Srivastava said.
M. Srinivas, Director, AIIMS, New Delhi said that corneal blindness affects millions in India, and timely availability of donor tissue is often a limiting factor. “This drone-based transport model could be a transformative step toward ensuring equitable access to vision-restoring surgeries, especially in underserved areas. The success of this pilot project opens the door to deploying precision drone logistics for a wide range of critical medical applications,” Dr. Srinivas stated.
Published – March 25, 2025 08:00 pm IST
