New Delhi: In continuity with the national mission to expand the drone ecosystem in India, the Indian Council of Medical Research (CIMR), Union Ministry of Health successfully carried out a test delivery of blood bags by drones under his iDrone initiative. Test run as part of a pioneering validation study has been carried out for the first time in the country thanks to the collaborative efforts of CIMR, Lady Hardinge Medical College (LHMC), New Delhi, Government Institute of Medical Sciences (GIMS), Greater Noida and Jaypee Institute of Information Technology (JIIT), Noida. The maiden test flight carried 10 units of whole blood samples from GIMS and LHMC in line of sight. LHMC and GIMS are listed as centers to supply blood bags and analyze the samples, while JIIT acts as the deployment center for drone raids. Protocol development, study design, implementation and coordination of the project are carried out by scientists at ICMR headquarters. Drone blood delivery will reduce the time of last-mile deliveries within the country.
Highlighting the importance of the event, Dr. Rajiv Bahl, Director General, ICMR emphasized: “This ‘i-DRONE’ was first used during the COVID-19 pandemic by ICMR to distribute vaccines in unreachable areas. Currently, we transport blood and blood-related products, which are supposed to be kept at a low temperature. After the experiment, we found that not only can we keep the temperature, but there was also no damage to the transported products. We send another sample via ambulance and if there are no differences in the samples sent using the two modes, then this drone will be used all over India.”
Furthermore, he stated: “Clarity in mapping challenges and identifying possible solutions can be achieved by building indigenous capacities in research and introducing innovations and technologies into the mainstream.”
During the course of this validation exercise, the scientists identified the challenges in timely delivery of blood and blood products, especially in remote areas and congested metropolitan cities of India, and assessed the quality and integrity of fragile body fluids such as blood due to drone motion impact. Researchers from LHMC, GIMS, and JIIT will conduct drone flights to validate the quality of packed red blood cells, fresh frozen plasma, and platelets in this study. The findings of this study will provide scientific evidence from India to examine the impact of drone transportation on blood products. This study will lead to the development of SOPs for broader applicability and the use of drones for the delivery of blood bags and their components. In addition, it will provide answers on whether drones will be used as a method of transporting temperature-sensitive blood products in remote parts of the country.
