Written by : Aishwarya Sarthe
September 21, 2023
Drone delivery startup TechEagle has partnered with AIIMS Jodhpur to deliver vital medical supplies in the tribal communities of Sirohi, Rajasthan. The objective is affordable, accessible, and high-quality healthcare for these underserved populations.
The collaboration employs TechEagle's advanced e-VTOL Drone, Vertiplane X3, to deliver vital medical supplies to remote tribal areas.
These essential supplies include medicines, vaccines, and blood. Further, the system enables easy transportation of blood and sputum samples for diagnostic evaluation, improving overall healthcare delivery.
During its inaugural flight from Sirohi to Waloriya, an area predominantly inhabited by tribal communities, the drone covered an aerial distance of approximately 35 km in under 20 minutes'”an astonishing speed nearly six times faster than traditional ground transportation. This speed is particularly beneficial over the last 8 km, where the absence of roads makes ground transportation more challenging.
Sharing thoughts on the collaboration dynamics, Vikram Singh Meena, founder & CEO of TechEagle, said, "When we started conceptualising TechEagle, the most important thing was building a solution that would save and improve the lives of millions and billions of people in India and the world."
The drone's return journey marked another success, transporting sputum samples from tribal populations for diagnostic purposes. Its remarkable speed, six times faster than traditional road transportation, substantially reduces the turnaround time for diagnostic reports, making it cost-effective and impactful.
Talking about the project, Anshu Abhishek, cofounder & COO of TechEagle, said, "Time is the most crucial dimension when we talk about emergency healthcare, and by deploying innovative solutions such as drones, a lot of time could be saved, and lives improved."
Established in 2017 in Gurugram, Haryana, TechEagle is the first to create an on-demand drone delivery network in India for healthcare and essentials.
In the domain of adopting drone technology, significant advancements have been noted. In August, AIIMS said to collaborate with IITs & IIMs to offer AI and drone-based healthcare services. The institution aims to create a shared research institute focused on AI and clinical trials, investigating novel uses of drones and robotics.
Likewise, in July, the Indian Council of Medical Research's (ICMR) iDrone programme successfully demonstrated the distribution of blood bags to remote places through drones, showcasing the potential of digital technology to improve healthcare access in India.