Centre To Use Drones To Deliver Covid-19 Vaccines

The Centre has come up with a novel idea to use drones to deliver Covid-19 vaccines in hard-to-reach areas. In order to reach remote areas and the regions with difficult terrains in the country, the Centre has decided to use unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV).

Interestingly, the Centre took up the idea after a thorough study conducted by the Indian Institute of Technology, (IIT) Kanpur which in its report stated that it is feasible.

To take this step forward, the Centre has invited bids for the UAVs and the bids should come by June 22nd.

As per specifications listed out by the Centre, the UAVs should travel upto 35 kms with the supplies and fly at an altitude of at least 100 meters. The ICMR said UAVs should take off vertically, can carry a minimum payload of 4 Kgs and should be capable of returning to the place of origin or the command station after delivery of the payload.

On Friday (11th June), an Expression of Interest (EOI) was invited by the HLL Infra Tech Services Limited, a subsidiary of Government-owned HLL Lifecare, on behalf of the ICMR, to deliver vaccines through UAVs. It is learnt that so far only Telangana has come forward to follow this method of delivery.