the department is currently in talks with an orgnisation that is currently supplying medicines through drones in Arunachal Pradesh. The organisation has reportedly offered free services to the State for nine months under the ‘Proof of Concept’ model.
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The department of Health, Medical Education and Family Welfare is considering the use of drones to distribute medicines to remote places, with a pilot project likely to takeoff in Alluri Sitharamaraju district.
According to a press note issued by the department on Wednesday, December 3, the department is currently in talks with an orgnisation that is currently supplying medicines through drones in Arunachal Pradesh. The organisation has reportedly offered free services to the State for nine months under the ‘Proof of Concept’ model.
Presently, medicines are being transported from Paderu to the rest of ASR district by vehicles. The department is planning to make Paderu as the central hub to ensure faster delivery of medicines and blood units to Primary and Communtity Health Centres and Area Hospitals which are located 60-80 km away.
Each drone can carry up to 2 kg of medicines and blood units and is equipped with cooling facilities to carry vaccines. As per the department’s plan, the drones will carry medicines or blood units to the designated hospital and can return to Paderu with patient samples of blood, urine or stool.
Pending permissions, the drones may likely be put to use to transport medicines from King George Hospital in Visakhapatnam to Paderu. So far, drones have been used in controlling mosquito menace, spraying disinfectants and delivering food to people during floods.
Published – December 03, 2025 09:24 pm IST
