In a first, ICMR delivers blood bags using drones
May 10, 2023
New Delhi, May 10 (ANI): In a first in India, validation of blood bags delivered by drones compared to the conventional method of transportation on May 10. Blood and blood-related products transported using ‘i-DRONE’, informed Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) Director General Dr Rajiv Bahl. The inaugural flight in a validation study carried 10 units of whole blood samples from the Government Institute of Medical Sciences (GIMS) and Lady Hardinge Medical College (LHMC). This drone sortie was in the visual line of sight conducted at Jaypee Institute of Information Technology (JIIT), Noida. “This ‘i-DRONE’ was first used during the COVID-19 pandemic by ICMR for distributing vaccines to unreachable areas. Today, we are transporting 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 maintain the temperature, but there was also no damage to the products transported,” said Dr Rajiv Bahl. “We sent another sample through an ambulance and if there are no differences in the samples sent using the two modes, then this drone will be used all over India,” he added.