New Delhi
After supplying Covid vaccines with the help of drones, Manipur has now started delivering medicines via unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV).
The delivery of medicines with the help of drones was conducted on October 9 at Churachandpur in Manipur.
The drone flew between Health and Wellness centre at Churachandpur to District Hospital in Bishnupur and then went ahead to PHC Phayeng. It carried 1,200 Iron folic acid tablets that was given to 40 women in Antenatal Care (ANC) at PHC Pheyang, which is said to suffice for one month.
The complete process of the delivery was automated. The drone pilot attached the medicine box to the drone.
"Churachandpur health and wellness centre (storage site) was just by the roadside of the take off site at Churachandpur. The District Family Welfare Officer (DFWO), Churachandpur, provided 1,200 tablets of Ferrous and folic acid tablets for transportation via drone," said Dr Sumit Aggarwal, Scientist and Program Officer, Co-PI, I Drone project, Division of ECD.
He further said that the drone covered about 29 km in the first flight.
"On October 6, the longest flight was for 26 km. On October 9, the drone completed 29 km (Churachandpur to Bishnupur )+ 26 km (Bishnupur to Phayeng) aerial distance, in a total of 64 minutes (34 minutes + 30minutes)," Dr Sumit added.
The drone flight parameters and the medicine box remained intact. They were delivered safely to PHC-Phayeng.
Earlier, the Telangana government's initiative 'Medicine from the Sky' was launched on September 11 to deliver medicines to remote areas using drones.
